Anambra Governor’s wife, Mrs. Nonye Soludo has disclosed that the state government has already kicked off plans to be among the first states in Nigeria to receive the new malaria vaccine.

Mrs. Soludo who stated this in a statement released in Awka to mark the 2023 World Malaria Day, noted that taking delivery of the vaccine which has been approved for use in the country, would help tackle one of the commonest household sicknesses in the state.

 

She explained that since the distribution of over three point eight million insecticide treated nets in 2022, malaria rate has been significantly reduced in under-five children in Anambra State, from seventy-seven point eight per cent at February 2022 to fourteen point three per cent in February 2023.

The governor’s wife, who is also the Anambra Net Ambassador, noted that insecticide treated nets use in the state has also increased from twenty-seven per cent in 2022 to fifty-seven per cent this year, accounting for marginal decline in reported malaria cases across medical facilities in Anambra State under one year.

While asking households, especially those housing children and pregnant women to continue to sleep under mosquito nets, Mrs. Soludo maintained that her husband’s administration is working to reduce malaria cases to barest number.

 

World Malaria Day is marked on April 25th of every year.

This year’s celebration has theme “Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement”.