Benue launches revised strategy for malaria elimination

The Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services has launched the revised national guideline and strategies for the prevention and control of malaria during pregnancy. State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Cecilia Ojabo said that the new method would reduce morbidity and mortality during pregnancy. “Three years ago, we transited from control to elimination of […]

The Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services has launched the revised national guideline and strategies for the prevention and control of malaria during pregnancy.
State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Cecilia Ojabo said that the new method would reduce morbidity and mortality during pregnancy. “Three years ago, we transited from control to elimination of malaria. The National Malaria Elimination Program revised national guideline and strategy for the prevention and control of malaria in pregnancy provides strategic advice on best practices for scaling up intervention,” Ojabo said.
Represented by the ministry’s Director of Public Health, Dr. Joseph Kumba, the commissioner stressed the need for the health workers to upgrade their knowledge in order to be versatile and current in the trend of malaria so as to achieve at least the global dateline for sustainable reduction by the year 2020.
According to Kumba, to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality attributable to malaria, the quality of malaria in pregnancy services must be improved especially through the Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) uptake.
He said 30 million women living in Africa malaria endemic areas become pregnant each year while 200, 000 new born deaths are recorded annually as a result of the disease it became imperative to pay attention to antenatal care.