By CrossRiverWatch admin
Representatives of Fyodor Biotechnologies Corporation, a Maryland USA based company, on Monday visited the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency, CRSPHCDA, Dr Betta Edu to introduce a new method of testing for malaria.
The visit according to the company is to seek partnership with the Cross River State Government to make the new testing method readily available as an option for the people of the state.
The team had earlier visited the office of Wife of the Governor, Dr. Linda Ayade were the Special Adviser, Mrs. Rosemary Eneji received them on behalf of the first lady. After a brief interaction, the team was directed to the CRSPHCDA which is responsible for the elimination of malaria in the state.
In her remark, the Nigerian representative of the company, Dr. Victoria Enwemadu, said they are in the State to introduce “Urine Malaria Test (UMT) which is a simple one step test with no blood, no reagents, no equipment.
According to her, the performance of the UMT was evaluated in a pivotal clinical trial in Nigeria and over 2000 participants were enrolled in primary health centers in three study groups.
She also noted that UMT is approved by NAFDAC and that the Federal Ministry of Health have supported the UMT product validation.
“We learnt you directly handle the state malaria elimination program, Fyodor Biotechnologies wishes to partner with the wife of the Governor and CRSPHCDA to introduce our new urine malaria test kit”. She said.
Responding, Dr Betta Edu, the DG CRSPHCDA said eliminating malaria is one of the core program and objective of the present administration.
She intimated them of several malaria interventions in the state supported by the State Governor Senator Ben Ayade which includes state wide distribution of long lasting insecticide treated nets, rapid diagnostic kit for malaria and free malaria treatment in health facilities across the state.
She further discussed the hunt malaria initiative program of Dr. Linda Ayade in public schools in Cross River State which is targeted at enrolling young ambassadors that will take the message to every home and community.
Dr. Edu said the new malaria test kit which requires less skill can be effectively thought to children in schools and used by almost everyone in the communities.
She also noted that it supports the task shifting policy of the Federal Government which allows staff with less skills to have additional responsibilities where there is paucity of workers.
She tasked the company to see how they can develop capacity of health workers on the new malaria test system and give donations of the kits to the hunt malaria initiative of the Wife of Governor in the state.
The team later paid a similar courtesy call to the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong to brief her on the new test kit.
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