By Alex Enebeli
Enugu State Government says it will partner a group, the Association of Civil Society Organisations in Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN), to end infectious diseases in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Emmanuel Obi, disclosed this on Wednesday when ACOMIN, Enugu Chapter, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Enugu.
He told the association that the state government was doing its best to eradicate malaria through signing up to all the guidelines and policy documents on prevention and treatment of malaria in Nigeria.
Obi explained that the state followed those guidelines and do everything that was possible by reporting on necessary data that would put the state under control of malaria.
He explained that the state had so far, controlled the incidences of malaria, malnutrition to barest minimum.
“I know that the National body is pushing to move from control to total eradication of malaria in the country because anything that concerned the control of infectious disease, I am highly involved as a member of the health council.
“We have joined other states and the nation to do all it takes to be able to control and push malaria out of the state,” the commissioner said.
He, however, advised Enugu residents that malaria remained a disease with high morbidity in Nigeria and caused by mosquito bites that usually come out at night
“This mosquito carried pathogen that causes malaria.
“People should avoid excessive contact with those mosquitos to reduce the existence of malaria by closing their doors and windows and sleep under treated insecticide net.
“The citizens should practice those things that keep mosquitoes away from their homes because mosquitoes caused social economic effects.
Obi added that the state had engaged in a lot of sensitisation programmes and trained people on prevention of malaria.
In her speech, the State Coordinator of ACOMIN, Florence Ifeanyi-Aneke said that the visit was to seek the ministry’s collaboration and partnership especially in the area of infectious diseases.
She said the group was willing to partner with the ministry to mitigate the impact of malaria, promote immunization and better nutrition in the state.
Aneke said the association would also assist in the monitoring of health facilities in communities across the state.
“We shall be glad to partner with the ministry in celebration of special days especially World Malaria Day, which is celebrated every 25th April,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ACOMIN is the national network of civil society organisations working on the prevention, treatment and mitigation of the impact of malaria, as well as the promotion of immunization and better nutrition in Nigeria.
It has visibility across the 36 states, including FCT. (NAN) www.nannews.org
