29th February, 2012
The Lagos State Government said it has distributed 4.2 million insecticide treated nets to rid the state of malaria.
Dr. Omowunmi Bakare, Lagos State Malaria Control Manager, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Bakare said that the malaria prevalence in the state was 4.8 per cent.
Reacting to the low performance of the South West in the new Malaria Indicator Survey, Bakare said that Lagos performance was better than some states in the zone.
She reiterated the determination of the state government to ensure complete eradication of malaria in the state.
She said that the state had invested heavily on malaria control efforts through its free malaria drug programme, adding that diagnosis and microscopic testing for malaria was also being provided free of charge in the state.
According to her, government is also intensifying research to enhance decision-making on the best method to be adopted in the fight against the scourge.
“As we speak, the malaria prevalence in Lagos State is about 4.8 percent whereas the national is almost forty something percent.
“So, we are sort of combing all the interventions, we are combining indoor spraying. We recently distributed over 4.2 million nets.
“We are also doing larviciding, which is taking care of the larva forms of the mosquitoes, we are also involved in environmental management with other ministries.
“And we are also linking up with some organisations that clear big drains so that all the debris are cleared.
“Because we know malaria is an environmental problem and we don’t just want to use all the interventions whereas the environmental aspect is not taking care of.
“We also go as much as possible to train our health workers in terms of drugs that are available.
“Overall, Lagos State has really contributed in reducing the malaria burden.”
Bakare said health workers in the state would be updated with new techniques on malaria.
She pledged the commitment of the state government to continue to implement strategies that would guarantee total eradication of the disease.
NAN reports that the 2010 Malaria Indicator Survey, which was recently inaugurated, rated the South-West region very low among other geo-political zones in the country.