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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, have registered their concerns on the rising menace of malaria in Nigeria.
They, thus, challenged the governments at all levels to support the efforts of international donor partners, financially and logistically, to combat the disease across the country.
The concern was contained in a communiqué released in Abuja, at the end of the Board of Trustees meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Faith Action Association (NIFAA) under the co-chairmanship of the Sultan and CAN President.
Also in attendance were Bishop Dr Sunday N Onuoha, Executive Director of NIFAA; Prof. Samson Fatokun, Member; Prof Afis Ayinde Oladosun, Member; Elder Abiodun Ogunsote, Member; Dr Abikoye Olatayo, Partner, (PMI/MSH).
The religious leaders stressed the need to step up action in strengthening Nigerian healthcare system particularly the Primary Health Care (PHC) system across the country.
They said: “The on-going U.S President’s Malaria Initiative for States (PMI-S) project covering eight (8) states, namely; Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Oyo, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau and Zafmfara, was observed and commended by the Board as a huge support to Nigeria.”
They said the role of the faith-based community in health interventions cannot be overemphasised, adding that the rate of mortality as a result of malaria, especially among pregnant women and under 5 children is very high, and efforts by all stakeholders to contain it is needed
They religious leaders also said that a concerted and sustainable effort is needed towards generating funding, internally, for malaria activities, asking governments at all levels to give more attention to the health needs of the citizens, especially to malaria which poses one of the most common health challenges in Nigeria with high mortality rate.
The NIFAA Board expressed commitment to utilising its networks to engage with the state governors and other relevant stakeholders not only of the eight (8) PMI states, but across the country for increased funding commitment for malaria elimination.
The religious leaders, however, admitted that a better and a well-defined structure is needed to be in place that would clearly state the percentage of the state budget that should go into health, and subsequently to malaria, and ensuring such allocations are released as at when required.
“This, certainly, will showcase the commitment of the government towards domestic resource mobilisation,” they said.
