Global Fund in Nigeria (GFN) has distributed 3.2 million Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets (ITNs) to pregnant women and children in 23 local government areas in Jigawa state.
This was disclosed by the head of Global Fund in Nigeria, Dr Jim Thomas in a speech delivered at the flagging off the distribution of the Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets (ITNs) at Katanga village in Kiyawa local government area of the state the organization’s fight against malaria, tuberculosis and HIV is one of the key areas they are focusing in Nigeria.
Thomas said malaria is one of the major killer diseases, especially in pregnant women and children in Nigeria.
According to his as a result of a collective effort by the government and development partners, the menace of malaria disease spread reduced to 24.7 in 2023 against 39.6 in 2013.
He stated further that in line with achieving the desired goals of reducing the menace the Global Fund Nigeria has increased its budget for 2024-2026 for more expanded intervention.
Thomas added that the distribution of mosquito nets is part of the project they are doing to fight against malaria and the kind of cooperation they received in Jigawa state is very encouraging and commendable.
Speaking while flagging off the ITNs distribution, Governor Umar Namadi described malaria as one of the major diseases creating huge challenges and burdens in the state’s public healthcare and they are ever ready to collaborate with any partner to tackle the disease.
He said, “We are not only going to Support Global Fund but we must prepare to maintain what they are doing because they can’t provide such service forever but government work to people must remain forever.
“We increased our health budgets, we commenced upgrading of our hospitals, we employed 1,000 health workers including doctors, we introduced health insurance for vulnerable and less privileges within one year in our effort to ensure access to basic healthcare services for all of our people in respect of their socio-economic status.”
Namadi maintained that reports show that the use of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) reduced in large number the incidence of malaria in Jigawa.
The governor urged the people in the state to continue using the SMC and ITNs for the successful elimination of malaria in Jigawa state.
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