The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has begun distributing free malaria drugs and test kits to strengthen the fight against the disease in the territory.
The Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, FCTA, Adedolapo Fasawe, said at the event in Abuja on Tuesday, that efforts were ongoing to eliminate malaria from FCT.
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Ms Fasawe described the distribution of the free drugs and test kits, which would last for two years, as a “decisive and deliberate” action in the fight against malaria.
She explained that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had paid the 2024 counterpart fund, which enabled the FCT to participate in the 2025 malaria programme.
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She described the fight against malaria as a “fight for life” as every single minute, a child dies of malaria in Nigeria.
The mandate secretary said that plans had been mapped out to kick out malaria from the FCT and the country.
She said that malaria remains a leading cause of death among women and children under five years.
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According to her, Nigeria is responsible for 27 per cent of global malaria prevalence, the highest figure in the world.
She added that a survey carried out by the World Health Organisation in 2024 indicated that 1.4 million, out of the about 6 million population of the FCT, suffered from malaria.
“This represents a five per cent malaria prevalence.
“Only one thing causes malaria – mosquito.
“If we can eliminate mosquitoes, we can eliminate malaria,” she said.
She said that all drugs and test kits had been distributed to all public health facilities in the FCT, warning that any facility found selling the drugs would be sanctioned.
She added that insecticide-treated nets have been made available for distribution to pregnant women and nursing mothers.
Also, the acting Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Abubakar Ahmadu, said the programme would improve access to malaria care and reduce out-of-pocket spending on health.
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Mr Ahmadu urged healthcare practitioners to make judicious use of the kits and drugs.
Maureen Ugochukwu of Famkris Healthcare Initiative said malaria remained Nigeria’s most pressing public health challenge.
Ms Ugochukwu said that households spend scarce resources on treatment while businesses suffer during malaria attacks.
(NAN)
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