The United States has launched a new initiative to check Africa’s killer disease, malaria in the rural areas of eight vulnerable states in Nigeria.
The states are Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, and Zamfara states.
The Statement by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), stated that the $90 million President’s Malaria Initiative for States (PMI-S) will serve as the flagship activity, for the global U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative in Nigeria in the next five years.
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It added that since 2010, PMI has provided $712 million in investments, including the distribution of over 61 million insecticide treated nets, which are now in about 43 percent of all households, twice the rate before the intervention.
The new initiative also builds on the success of the earlier PMI-supported malaria interventions in Nigeria, which helped to reduce the infection rate of malaria by 16 percent, since PMI began operating in Nigeria.
Another 62 million rapid tests, had also helped the health workers to properly diagnose and treat patients for malaria and other fevers.
PMI-S is implemented by the Management Sciences for Health.
Edited by Tunde Orebiyi
