Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate has reaffirmed the Tinubu-led administration’s determination to eliminate malaria and its increasing challenge in Nigeria.
However, he lamented that Nigeria accounts for 30 per cent of the global burden of the deadly infectious disease, with Kano State being the worst affected.
The minister made this statement yesterday in Kano when led a delegation of global health partners to the Kano State government.
He said the President Bola Tinubu government’s passion for a quality healthcare system had drawn the attention of foreign agencies, who had provided a $2 billion grant to combat malaria, tuberculosis and Acquired immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in the country.
Pate said the partners, such as Global Fund; United States President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), had received the Federal Government’s guarantees to effectively address the three diseases nationwide.
He, therefore, urged the Kano State government to demonstrate political will by providing counterpart funding and essential commitments to achieve the objective.
Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulanbo, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, said that despite the threat of infectious diseases in the state, the government had shown adequate capacity to handle the situation.
He advised Kano on the importance of a digital health care system and proactiveness.
Governor Abba Kabiru said that despite the huge population, he had improved the health care system since he took office by renovating facilities, releasing counterpart funds and training staff.
He appealed to the partners to increase their support for the implementation of the 2024 to 2026 agenda of the Global Fund by conducting new manicure tests.
