Malaria Consortium has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the elimination of malaria in Oyo State through strengthened collaboration with the state government and key health institutions.
The Director, West and Central Africa Programme, Dr. Kolawole Maxwell, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by members of the Board of Trustees of Malaria Consortium to the Oyo State Ministry of Health, the State Primary Health Care Board, and the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
Dr. Maxwell said the Consortium remains committed to working with the Oyo State Government and other stakeholders to improve malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment with a view to eliminating the disease.
Dr. Maxwell explained that the visit was aimed at strengthening existing partnerships, increased awareness, assessing ongoing malaria control programmes in six selected local government areas of the state, and exploring additional strategies to reduce the burden of the disease.
Also speaking, members of the Board of Trustees of Malaria Consortium, Professor Jenny Hill and Mrs. Jane Edmondson from the United Kingdom, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting strategic planning, programme implementation, and monitoring towards eliminating malaria.
In their separate remarks, the Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, the Executive Secretary, Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Muideen Olatunji, and the Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Professor Jesse Otegbayo, commended Malaria Consortium for its sustained support, noting that its interventions have contributed significantly to the reduction of malaria prevalence in the State.
Other members of the delegation included the Project Director, PF SMC Nigeria, Dr. Chibuzo Oguoma, the Project Director, SARMAAN 2 Nigeria, Mrs. Adaeze Aidenagbon, and the Programme Manager, PF SMC Oyo State, Dr. Taiwo Olarinde.
The highlight of the visit was the donation of malaria drugs and kits to the University College Hospital, Ibadan.