World Malaria Day: Governor Obiano Set To Build Child Care Specialist Hospitals In Anambra

       

Odogwuemekaodogwu.com reports that Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has restated his commitment for the construction of maternal and child care specialist hospitals in each of the three senatorial zones in the State.

Odogwuemekaodogwu.com informed that Obiano stated the commitment of his administration to improve the health conditions of Anambrarians through rehabilitation of over 35 general hospitals and.

The Governor who revealed this today at Otuocha, Anambra East Local Government Headquarters in an event to bring to an end the 2014 World Malaria Day also promised to make all the primary health care centres in the state functional.

The theme of this year’s world malaria day is, “invest in the future, defeat malaria”

Gov. Obiano who spoke through the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joe Chukwudi Akabuike, further explained that malaria is the most significant health problem in Nigeria adding that it accounts for 25 percent of under 5 mortality, 30 percent childhood mortality and 11 percent maternal mortality.

He further stressed that state Government with the support from world bank and Federal Ministry of Health has instituted several measures which according to him include: distribution of over 3 million long lasting insecticidal net to families, indoor residential spraying and support in reduction of mosquitoe breeding sites as well as the use of intermittent preventive therapy giving to pregnant women.

The Project Manager, Anambra State Malaria Control Booster Project, Dr. Obiora Ezeaku emphatically stated that malaria is caused by a parasite called the plasmodium, adding that the objective of the global malaria day celebrated every 25^th day of April is to promote the use of preventive measures against malaria and as well sensitise people on the cause and appropriate case management for malaria.

“The economic burden of malaria is enormous, over 132 billion naira is lost to malaria annually in terms of treatment cost, prevention strategies and man-hour lost” he said.

On his part, the Director Primary Health Care and Disease Control, Dr. Chukwudi Okoye pledges the commitment of the  government and partners on the advocacy for malaria prevention and control in the State while the Anambra East Council Chairman, Hon. Onyekwelu Udano expressed happiness for playing host to this year’s World Malaria Day.