Tony John, Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said his administration will join all rollback malaria partners to develop a formidable platform to eliminate the disease in the state.

Speaking yesterday, during his investiture as the grand ambassador for malaria elimination at the  Government House, Port Harcourt, Wike said his administration has made the fight against malaria a top priority. 

He said: “We all must fight to eliminate malaria. The deaths flowing from malaria are unacceptable. We must execute it as a communal-based action plan. The fight against malaria goes beyond providing bed nets or ensuring access to effective treatment. These are important  measures, but, certainly not enough. We must move from this sense of complacency, that malaria is preventable and treatable, and focus on the need to end malaria for good, within the shortest period,” Wike said.

He said the action-based communal effort to eradicate malaria must be owned and driven by the grassroots, with a broad-based platform. Wike called on the private sector to join the fight to end malaria, as an enlightened self-interest. 

The governor also urged civil society organisations and well-meaning  individuals to contribute to ending the prevalence of malaria in the state. 

Related News

In his address, Commissioner for Health, Prof. Princewill Chike, said the state has one of the lowest prevalence of malaria in the country. 

He said the need to eliminate malaria is premised on the fact that it accounts for 60 percent outdoor visits and admission in the state’s health facilities. 

He said the investiture of Wike as the grand ambassador of malaria elimination, would galvanise the fight, in the interest of the state. 

In a goodwill message, South South Coordinator of the World Health Organisation, Dr. Wale Famiyesin, said the governor’s investiture gave him the mantle to make further investments in eradicating malaria. 

Highpoint of the occasion was the launch of the treated nets against mosquito, by the governor, supported by members of the state rollback malaria initiative.