Policies on malaria eradication coming soon, says Scitech minister

The Federal Government has pledged to pursue policies and programmes that will help eradicate malaria and other terminal diseases in the country. The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu made the pledge when he received Prof. Chike Ogbonna of the University of Jos who made a presentation on the  commercial cultivation and processing […]

The Federal Government has pledged to pursue policies and programmes that will help eradicate malaria and other terminal diseases in the country.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu made the pledge when he received Prof. Chike Ogbonna of the University of Jos who made a presentation on the  commercial cultivation and processing of herbal plant for malaria eradication in his office on Thursday in Abuja.

Dr. Onu noted that the productivity of the nation and the ability to create wealth is very important to the present administration.

He promised to engage Nigerian experts to study the presentation made by Prof. Chike and his team on “A-Z commercial cultivation and processing of Artemisia annua for malaria   eradication and Diabetes management in Nigeria “and come out independent report.

The Minister added that once the report supports the one presented at the meeting, Ministry of will support the process to develop drugs for the eradication of malaria and management of HIV/AIDS and diabetes.

He said that the Federal Government will continue to support research that will help in nation building because according to him “the issue of self-reliance is very important to our nation because it will have far reaching implication that will help in international recognition”.

 Earlier, Prof. Chike Ogbonna of University of Jos, while making his presentation lamented the rate of malaria politics in Sub-Sahara region noting that pharmaceutical companies deliberately produced substandard drugs that are resistant to malaria as to make money and exploit the people.