Oyo committed to preventing malaria deaths — Ajimobi

Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi has assured that it was doing all things possible  to ensure malaria,  a deadly but preventable cause of death and ill-health was curtailed in the state.

Senator Ajimobi speaking at the 2017 World Malaria Day celebration by Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Oyo State branch, said over eight million insecticidal nets in the last  four years as well as free drugs.

The governor,  represented by Oyo State Health Commissioner,  Dr Azeez Adeduntan said cases of malaria had already been reduced in the state by 43 per cent.

According to him, in moving health  care delivery forward,  a N50 billion endowment fund had just been approved to renovate government hospitals as well as Oyo health insurance agency so that all can access good care.

Ajimobi,  who said his government ‘s resolve was to make health care delivery  the best in the country, urged chemists to desist from recommending unapproved medicine for malaria and so killing them.

The governor remarking that government alone cannot ensure good health alone,  said he was pleased that PSN was joining Oyo State in battling malaria.

Chairman, PSN,  Oyo State branch, Mr Abiodun Ajibade, said despite averting 6.8 million malaria deaths globally since 2001, malaria is still the second leading cause of death from infectious diseases in Africa, after HIV/AIDS.

Ajibade who said the pace of progress on malaria control must be greatly  accelerated, said  pharmacists were  rising up to the call by WHO’s Global Technical Strategy For Malaria for a 40 per cent reduction in malaria cases and deaths  by 2020.

To this end,  he declared “our members have stepped up activities  and information to educate the public  on the need to test before malaria is treated.”

Ajibade noted that pharmacists are most easily accessible to give a voice to government’s policy of testing before treating malaria, declared that on the average, a community pharmacy receives over 80 clients per day.

The occasion’s keynote speaker, Senator Iyabode Anisulowo noting the importance of a clean  environment to curtail mosquitoes breeding, said corruption was also a bane of malaria control given that some people withhold government’s free insecticidal mosquitoes nets and drugs from getting to people that need them in the community.

She also warned people against taking  malaria drugs  unnecessarily because this could be dangerous for their health.

At the occasion,  wife of Oyo State governor,  Chief Flourence Ajimobi was decorated as PSN Oyo State Malaria Ambassador.