USAID-IHP boosts malaria diagnosis in pregnant women, children in Bauchi

From Ahmad Muhammad, Bauchi

The Integrated Health Programme of United State Agency for Development (USAID-IHP) have trained and equipped 30 laboratory scientists in Bauchi state, to undertake the diagnosis of malaria among pregnant women and children under 5 years.
The Integrated PHC Advisor of IHP, Bauchi State office, Dr Darlington Okoye said this at the 2023 World Malaria Day celebration held at Ningi Town Maternity PHC, on Tuesday.
Okoye stressed that malaria remains one of the diseases that are negatively impacting life expectancy which must be tackled at all costs.
He said that USAID-IHP will continue to support the government through its agencies to fight the malaria scourge in the state stressing that a combined effort is required in order to overcome the malaria scourge.
Executive Chairman of Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria (BACATMA), Dr Sani Mohammed Dambam said that his Agency will continue to partner to fight malaria in the state.
Represented by the Director, Tuberculosis of the Agency, Abdullahi Gida, the BACATMA EC commended USAID-IHP for its support in the fight against malaria and other diseases in the state.
Dr Sani called on pregnant women to ensure that they took every precaution in fighting malaria saying that they must take all the drugs given to them at the health facilities.
He said that treated mosquito nets will be distributed across the state stressing that it will be a house-to-house distribution in order to fight the scourge of malaria among pregnant women and children under 5 years.
The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ningi LGA, Ibrahim Zubairu commended the organizers of the flagging off for choosing Ningi LGA for the program.
Represented by the Speaker of Ningi Legislative Assembly, Yakubu Anas, said his Council will prioritise healthcare delivery services in the LGA because according to him, healthcare delivery services are the most important thing.