Jigawa govt partners institute to eliminate virus by 2020

intern

November 11, 2016 3:50 PM

The institute's Communications Manager stated that the plan would also guide the prevention and treatment of malaria in the state

Mosquito nets.

The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), says it is collaborating with the Jigawa Government to establish an annual operational plan towards eliminating malaria in the state by 2020.

Mr Dennis Mordi, the IHVN Communications Manager, quoted the institute’s Senior Programme Officer, Strategic Information, Mr Charles Ohikhaui, saying this in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.

Ohikhaui stated that the annual operational plan would also guide the prevention and treatment of malaria in the state in 2017.

According to him, the plan is an outcome of a five-day stakeholders’ workshop on the fight against malaria in the state.

“The workshop brought together stakeholders to develop the plan that is state-driven and not dependent on donors like Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and malaria.

“I hope that the commitment they have shown in the past five days will be continued throughout the implementation.

"The plan is to be state funded and the stakeholders have made inputs on activities they want to do,” he said.

Mordi also quoted the State Director of Public Health, Dr Umar Bulangu, as saying that the 2016 plan was concluded within the workshop period unlike previous years.

“This will reduce the problem we have been facing about non-implementation of many activities due to late dissemination.

“We are following the strategic plan to eliminate malaria by 2020 and we have to create activities that will help us to achieve the objectives of that strategic plan,” Bulangu said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was attended by officials of Jigawa Ministry of Health and staff from the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP).

Others are the IHVN, Sustainable Healthcare Initiative and Association of Civil Society Organisations for Malaria Immunisation and Nutrition in the state.

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