Malaria Action Program For States Has Impacted Much On Cross River - Ayade

By Elijah Ugani

Cross River Deputy Governor Ivara Esu addressing participants at the program at Transcorp hotel, Calabar with the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong and DG CRSPHCDA Dr. Betta Edu looking on

The Govenor of Cross River State, Senator Ben Ayade has said that Malaria Action Program for States (MAPS) has impacted greatly in the life of Cross Riverians.

The Cross River Governor made the assertion at an event to mark the end of project dissemination in Cross River.

Represented by his Deputy, Prof. Ivara Esu he said: “I’m pleased to be part of this program in Cross River State. For five years now this program has the sole aim of equal access and structure to reduce malaria associated diseases, it has coverage to an appreciable level in all local government areas in the State in the use of long lasting insecticidal nets, capacity building of State and local government staff”.

On his part, the Chairman of the occasion and Team Lead of MAPS, Oluwole Adeusi noted that the project was to increase the quality, access, and uptake of malaria control interventions in Nigeria through the scale-up of proven interventions, strengthen program management and monitoring and evaluation capacity at the national, state and local government levels in line with the national malaria strategic plan.

Adeusi noted that MAPS in collaboration with other stakeholders and partners in Cross River State achieved significant success through: Over 1.7 million treated nets distributed during mass campaign; 3,200 treated nets distributed to school children in 18 primary schools in Calabar Municipality.

3,617 health workers trained in various intervention areas. 560 community care givers and 565 CVs trained on community awareness and referral. Improved appropriate malaria treatment rates to over 90% worked with SMEP to implement a system for malaria microscopy accreditation and EQA.

Concluding he said: “I am confident and proud to declare that the overall goal to scale up usage and coverage of life-saving malaria intervention in Cross River State has been largely achieved”.

High point of the event was presentation of a Merit Ward to the Wife of the State Governor, Dr. Linda Ayade and several others as well as recognizing Dr. Inyang Asibong Cross River State Commissioner of Health and Dr. Betta Edu, DG Primary Health Care Development Agency for their efforts in the fight against malaria.