The Civil Society in Malaria Control Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN) has urged the federal government of Nigeria and Kano state government to increase budgetary allocations to Malaria commodities and other essentials needed for the full operations of all health facilities in the country.
ACOMIN also appeals for the promotion of public-private partnership especially in underserved areas to strengthen the national and sub-national Malaria response.
Malam Sharif Abubakar, the Kano state program officer of ACOMIN disclosed this during state media meeting on Global Fund Malaria Community-led monitoring project been implemented by ACOMIN held in Kano Tuesday.
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According to Sharif, communities and Citizens should revive or strengthen community health development committees to drive household-level malaria prevention through improved net use, encouraging early testing, and improving health education within the communities.
He said the private sector should recognize malaria as a productivity issue and support ITN campaigns, health facility improvements, and health worker training through corporate social responsibility (CSR).
“Government both federal, state, and Local should fulfil co-financing commitments, increase malaria budgets, and promote Public-Private Partnerships, especially in undeserved areas, to strengthen the national and sub-national malaria response,” said Sharif.
“I want urged all the community based organization working with us that they should encourage members of the public to always take ownership of all primary and post primary health facilities for the protection of public health and maternal and child health in their area of coverage,” said the program officer at the media meeting.
He then encouraged philanthropists and High-Net-Worth individuals to support high-impact interventions such as ITN distribution and health facility upgrades.
Sharif solicits for traditional, religious, and community leaders to promote proper and effective net usage, encourage early testing and prompt treatment, and hold the government accountable, adding that communities are encourage to invest, actively participate in and take ownership of malaria interventions within their communities.
Dr. Nura Haladu, is the Kano state chairman of ACOMIN and he says the program is implemented in 13 local governments areas run by 26 community-based organizations who work within the communities to ensure people was served.
He said the program focused on improving transparency and accountability on Malaria global fund commodities, “we are working with civil society organizations, community-based organizations to ensure communities’ satisfactions of global fund health facilities in the state.”
In a remark, the Advocacy Communication and mobilization officer at the Kano state ministry of health Hajiya Halima Bala Adamu said the state government will soon embarked distribution of insecticide treated nets in an efforts to fight Malaria and its effects on general populace.
She appeals for community leaders and civil society organizations to complete government efforts in ensuring safe distribution exercise.