Rivers Scores Least In Malaria Rating Index

Rivers State has been said to have one of the least Malaria index in the country with the prevalence rate put at 7.2 per cent as against the national rate of 48 per cent.
The Director, Public Health, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Nnnana Onyekwere revealed this while speaking on the sidelines of a malaria symposium organised in conjunction with the State Hospitals Management Board recently.
Onyekwere said the low rate was as a result of the government’s lofty policies and programmes in tackling malaria which included ensuring the availability of the Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs) in every home of the state.
While noting with dismay the poor Usuage of the mosquito nets, Onyekwere said “the Usuage of the mosquito net is still very low. Though the net distribution rate is above 90 per cent, its Usuage is below 40 per cent meaning that those who collect the nets do not use. Infact, over 75 per cent of Rivers people have mosquito nets but only about 32 per cent of them are using it.  The government is trying to re-orientate them on the need to use their net and we need to comply with these ways.  We need to use the nets for its purpose and be free of malaria attack”.
The Director who maintained that environmental sanitation and cleanliness was key in the fight against malaria disclosed that the ministry was collaborating with the state Ministry of Environment and Waste Management Authority on an awareness campaign.
“We are thinking of a campaign to encourage residents to clear their drainage and cover stagnant water in their neighbourhood where mosquitoes can breed”, he said.
Onyekwere averred that malaria can be eliminated with the night policies and progrmames citing the case of Cuba which he said has a robust anti-malaria policy.
In his words “it is possible to eliminate malaria in our country. If Cuba, Morocco and Sierra-Leone can do it, we can also do it and to win this war, it should not be left in the hands of the government alone. Everybody must be involved and that is why we are engaging everyone-the university, research centres, schools traders and journalists”.
“We have had the theme of Roll Back Malaria, suspect malaria, tie malaria but now it is End Malaria and everyone of us must play our roles to achieve it”.

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