By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki.
Ekuma made the confirmation on Friday in a press conference at Abakaliki while marking the commemoration of the 2025 World Malaria Day in Ebonyi State.
The Commissioner represented by
the Director of Health, Dr Hiacyent Ebenyi
noted that 'through the efforts of Governor Francis Nwifuru-led administration, the burden of malaria was reduced from 56.3 per cent in 2024 to 45.1 per cent at the end of the first quarter of the year 2025 in Ebonyi State.'
He further disclosed, "Malaria has over the years been responsible for over 350,000 deaths per annum in sub-Sahara Africa," saying, "the recent figures of the World Health Organization (WHO), mosquito-transmitted disease kills over one million people a year."
He added: "In Nigeria and Ebonyi State in particular the disease is still a public health problem," as according to him, "over 60 per cent of hospital attendance is caused by malaria and a major cause of morbidity in pregnant women and children less than 5 years."
He recalled that the Ebonyi state government in its malaria control trained newly recruited doctors, nurses and pharmacists to build their capacity on malaria to improve malaria diagnosis, treatment and reporting across the state health facilities.
"The state in collaboration with the President's Malaria Initiative distributed a total of 1,500,000 ITNs in 2015; 1,901, 912 ITNs in 2019, 1,942,167 ITNs in 2023 through ITNs campaigns and the state is due for ITN replacement campaign in 2026 in Ebonyi State.
"The state has also distributed 253,142 ITNs to pregnant women attending ANC and fully immunized children in health facilities across the state.
"The state provided free MRDT for testing of suspected malaria cases in the health facilities, provided free anti-malaria drugs and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for the prevention of malaria in pregnancy and also happy to inform you that before the end of this quarter, the state will procure 150,000 doses of SP through IMPACT for the benefit of our pregnant women.
"All these efforts by the government and many more have resulted in a more effective and efficient state malaria program and gradual reduction of the burden of malaria from 56.3 per cent confirmed malaria cases in 2024 to 45.1 per cent as at end of the first quarter 2025 in Ebonyi State," Ekuma explained.
Emphasizing the theme of the 2025 World Malaria Day, anchored on "Malaria ends with us," reinvest, reimagine and reignite, with a slogan, "accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world," he said the celebration would offer an opportunity for malaria epidemic and malaria free countries to recount and learn about the devastating consequences of the disease and for new donors to join the global partnership against malaria.
He urged the countries in malaria-affected regions to increase awareness of the malaria disease and win more political will and support from the government towards fighting the disease.
The Commissioner commended the contributions of the developmental partners including WHO, USAID Funded Project (GHSC-PSM), AMURT Foundation, religious societies especially the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN Ebonyi State chapter and professional bodies, among others in the area of malaria prevention and control in the state.
Lending his voice, the State Malaria Elimination Program Manager, John Nkwuda described the World Malaria Day Celebration as an annual ritual and commended Governor Nwifuru-led administration's effort to eliminate malaria in Ebonyi, described malaria as a disease that affects every age and urged all and sundry to join in the fight against the disease.
