Niger State Commissioner of Tertiary Healthcare, Dr. Bello Tukur, has described malaria and typhoid fever, as the two major causes of high maternal and child mortality rates as well as of deaths in the nation's population, particularly in rural areas.
Dr. Bello Tukur stated this when he received the state delegation team of "Zero Malaria Starts With Me," which paid him an advocacy visit in his office at the ministry recently.
He stated that the ministry will do what is necessary to support the team and will start by ensuring that all the team’s expenditures are adequately captured in the budgets of the ministry.
While pointing out that doing so will enable both the team and state government to achieve the desired goals of eliminating the scourge in the state, he noted that the present administration was determined to fulfill most of its campaign promises in the area of health services to the populace.
The commissioner therefore observed the need for the extension of the team's presence in the local government areas and the satellite communities in order for the team to achieve its objectives.
Speaking on the death toll on maternal and child mortality rates, the commissioner appealed to the state malaria team, especially the state media, which were fully involved in sensitising pregnant women on the importance of going for antenatal care through their respective mediums, and called on the general public not to misunderstand the existence of the two ministries because separation was targeted at providing health services to the citizenry.
Earlier in his address, the District Head of Maikunkele and Chairman Zero Malaria Starts With Me, Alhaji Suleiman Abdullahi Dada, informed the commissioner that the advocacy visit was not only aimed to familiarise themselves with the ministry but to also notify the ministry of the team's existence and directions for the challenging tasks ahead.
The team's chairman therefore appealed to the commissioners of the two ministries about the need for them not to just financially support the team's assignment but also to take ownership of the enormous responsibility attached to the team.
Also in his contribution, the head of ACOMIN, Mr. Kalyanje Olasulanmi, noted that the scourge of malaria was enormous and therefore the state government had to accord the team the needed attention.
He further requested the establishment of a task force team that will take charge of the misuse of the treated mosquito nets across the state.
Highlights of the advocacy visit included a group photograph and the exchange of contacts.