We’ll take steps towards eradicating Malaria , says Oyo govt

By Ogundele Olanrewaju

In its efforts toward eradicating Malaria scourge in the stat, Oyo State Government has said that proactive measures will be put in place to ensure that malaria does not remain a burden to the people of the state.

This was stated by the commissioner for Health, Dr. Bode Ladipo at a two day retreat organized by Oyo state government in conjunction with President’s Malaria Initiative For state (PMI-S) for the health executives other stakeholders in the state.

While declaring open the retreat, Oyo state commissioner for Health, Dr. Bode Ladipo declared that the pace setter state is second to none in the south west state on interrupting on making new way on malaria intervention to eradicate the scourge in the country.

He further disclosed that in Oyo state malaria is no longer the lead cause of death of juvenile because the state has on it toes to ensure malaria scourge is reduce to the bearest minimum.

He said, “we are having the retreat because we are aware that the state has invested into improvement of infrastructure, health care management system, capacity building for health officials, increasing workforce population, we have a lot of intervention from our partners and all agencies and everything boils towards getting health care available.

“When we are talking about accessibility we are now looking at out of pocket expenditure and for that reason the Oyo State health insurance agency which is saddle with the responsibility of reducing out of pocket spending on health is part of this and we are trying to see how we can bridge those gaps that are there, over the linkages so that people will be able to know the benefits that are acquire towards having such interaction with government facilities and more importantly be able to go to our service centers and get care with very little. Ladipo said.

“Record have it that in Oyo State malaria is no longer the lead cause of death in the children under the age of 5, it has been overtaken by diseases like pneumonia and others and that tells you the fact that those processes that have been put together by malaria have been working but that doesn’t say that other areas should not be look into and for that this is part of the reason why we are having this two days retreat and there are various partners, agencies of government, the UN and other organizations, with this current development I think we should be able to find a way forward the next one year or more for the health care system in Oyo State.Ladipo stressed.

While the Stakeholders present at the retreat themed: Qualitative, Affordable And Sustainable Healthcare In Oyo State; believed that the program will have direct positive impact on the residents of the state.

One of the participants, Dr. Ayandipo Oluwayemisi the state coordinator for the U.S. President’s for Malaria initiative Program (PMI-S) said we are happy to support this two days retreat because we all know the importance of eliminating or eradicating malaria in our society and also improving the health system of the state.

She further said, “we really appreciate the Commissioner of health, he has been fully supportive of this program and at the end of the program we hope that all the executive present would have been oriented on the aspect of malaria, at the end of the day they would be able to provide the necessary and needed support to eradicate the malaria at all levels and we would have better system because we would have delibrated on the challenges, the gaps affecting our health system and proposed solutions which the Commissioner who is ready to take them home and ensure that they are fully implemented, the retreat is definitely going to have a positive impact on the grassroots people.