The Abia State government in a strategic in collaboration with Pan Africare, has commences the distribution of anti-malaria materials to 292 ward health centres in Abia State.

This, according to the partners, is aimed at promoting the uptake of malaria prevention and treatment services in the state.

The materials distributed include 928,116 ACTs for the treatment of malaria cases, 63,808 injectable Artesunate for the management of malaria among children, 429,342 SP for the treatment of malaria in pregnancy and 829,068 RSTs for testing and confirmation of suspected cases of malaria.

Speaking during the occasion, the Country Director of Pan Africare, Dr. Patrick Adah, said the program was a continuation of previous distributions under the Impact Project, explaining that currently, the Impact Project is being implemented in the 292 ward health centres in the 17 local government areas of Abia State, with plans to extend it to other catchment primary health facilities of the wards.

He noted that the project is to improve the generation of evidence for decision-making and impact through reporting of quality malaria data and information from all health facilities where the project is being implemented.

He also added that the project is also strengthening coordination, collaboration, and strategic partnership to promote efficiency and effectiveness of malaria control activities and achieve at least 75 percent improvement from the baseline.

“Over the next few weeks, we shall be distributing the malaria commodities in the state including 212, 545 materials for testing and confirmation of malaria through microscopy; 288,533 ITNs for the prevention of malaria and 876 colour-coded waste bins for safe disposal of waste in the clinics.” He commended Governor Alex Otti, the state Ministry of Health, the Special Adviser to the governor on Health Matters, Dr Ngozi Azodoh, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Ifeyinwa Blossom Kalu, the state Steering Committee and particularly, members of the Abia State Impact Project, headed by Dr Arua Obasi Ude on their support in providing the enabling environment for the implementation of this project in the State. Dr Adah expressed confidence that the successful implementation of the project will contribute greatly to eliminating malaria in Abia State.

The Permanent Secretary of Abia State Ministry of Health, Dr Kalu, said that the state attained 100 per cent in the treatment of malaria with ACT drugs in the third quarter of 2023 and 107 per cent in the first quarter of 2024, disclosing that the feat was achieved in collaboration with Pan Africare and other partner agencies.

She appreciated the state Team Lead, Dr. Okechukwu Madukwe, for his efforts.Assuring that the state would scale up higher in the distribution of drugs to tackle malaria diseases, she thanked the Health Authority Secretaries, among other stakeholders for working harmoniously to make Abia a malaria-free state.

The Project Manager, Abia Malaria Impact Project, Comrade Arua Obasi, outlined the objectives of the Impact Project, as strengthening the capacity of public and private sectors in the management of sick children, and pregnant women, strengthening malaria diagnosis capacity, providing insecticide-treated nets, among other things.

Speaking on behalf of partners, the representative of the World Health Organization, Dr Caroline Iwuoha, said that the agency is ready to monitor and ensure that the materials are put into good use, appealing that all hands be on deck to eradicate malaria in the state.