Commissioner Advises Health Care Providers OnAdherence To Malaria Treatment Guidelines

UYO

Health care providers in the state have been mandated to adhere strictly to the National guidelines on malaria diagnosis and treatment in the state. 

This charge came from the commissioner for health, Professor Augustine Vincent Umoh, when he addressed participants at the Provide Behavior Change workshop, held at the Francine’s Place Hotel, Uyo recently.

At the event which was organized by the Breakthrough Action Nigeria (BAN), in collaboration with the health ministry, the health boss harped on compliance with the guidelines as the panacea for curbing malaria-related mortalities. 

The commissioner lamented that despite all the resources sunk in malaria,  it remained a troubling topical issue.

He noted that, there were gaps which inhibited the expected outcomes in the strive to have a malaria-free society, even as he stressed that a healthy people made a productive people. 

The commissioner further charged the participants to apply themselves to what they learned, and to step down the knowledge gained to others. 

He commended the Breakthrough Action Nigeria for what he called their visible contribution in implementing health promotion, social and behavioural change interventions in malaria elimination, Tuberculosis, media and health systems strengthening in the state. 

He reiterated the unrelenting commitment of the present administration to nurture a healthy citizenry, and invited well-meaning individuals and organisations to partner the government in this regards. 

On behalf of Breakthrough Action Nigeria, the programmeofficer of the Providers Behavior Change, Faramade Alalade, revealed that the state was recording a gradual increase in malaria cases, and held that malaria could only be eliminated through compliance with the guidelines. 

He dissuaded members of the public from taking malaria medications without testing, stressing that every fever was not malaria.

As a clamp-down measure on non-compliance, Alalade called for sanctions on health care providers found to be operating outside the National guidelines for malaria diagnosis and treatment.