Nigeria is drafting a new intervention plan on malaria in order to boost the anti-malaria programme, according to Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu.
Speaking at a briefing on the sidelines of the Executive Council meeting in Abuja, in preparation for this week’s African Union (AU) Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the minister said he would present the new plan to the National Economic Council (NEC) this week for consideration and approval.
“We have realised that we need to re-focus. What we need to do is focus where the problem is. There is progress, but we think that there is more to be done. It is only when we know where the gap exists that we can know where we can have targeted interventions.
“(This) week I will make a presentation to the National Economic Council (NEC) on a new intervention plan on malaria for the country. It could be better, but today nobody can accuse African leaders of not being committed,” he said.
Mr. Chukwu said a major problem facing African countries was how to close the financial gap totalling over 50%.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria Programme of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Fatoumata Nafo-Traore, has told journalists in Abuja that the biggest challenges facing Africa were the financing gap and the development of resistance to insecticides.
Dr. Nafo-Traore said the mosquitoes that carry the malaria parasite were increasingly developing resistance to the available insecticides.
She noted that though extraordinary progress had been made in many African countries on the malaria control, many of the countries were very poor and were in dire need of financial support to roll back malaria.
“(Some) 5-6 billion US dollars is required per year worldwide every year to fight malaria. The problem is worst hit in developing countries, especially in Nigeria. Only 50% of funds needed are made available through national budgets, but mostly from donor support. More funds are needed urgently,” she said
PANA reports that the Abuja+12 Special Summit is aimed at reviewing the status of implementation of the Declarations and Frameworks for Action from the 2000 Abuja Summit on Roll Back Malaria; 2001 Abuja Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Other Related Infectious Diseases (ORID), and the 2006 Special Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Other Related Infectious Diseases (ORID).
The Summit will review the status of African Governments’ investment in the various national responses to ORID and adopt a set of actions to enhance the continent’s response and efforts towards reversing the impact of these diseases by ensuring universal access to services and strengthened health systems, especially for the poor and most marginalized people.
The theme of the Abuja+12 Summit, to be held over two days starting from Monday, is: “Ownership, Accountability and Sustainability of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Response in Africa: Past, Present and the Future.”
Courtesy: PanaPress
