Ekiti Achieves Major Breakthrough In Malaria Fight, Cases Drop Significantly

According to Ireporter Online, Ekiti State has recorded a notable decline in malaria cases following the successful completion of the World Bank-supported Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) project.

Speaking at the two-year project’s close-out ceremony, the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, described the initiative as a landmark achievement in Ekiti’s journey toward malaria elimination. Represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, Mr. Olusola Gbenga-Igotun, Filani emphasized that the intervention significantly strengthened malaria prevention and testing at the community level.

He assured that the Governor Biodun Oyebanji-led administration would maintain the project’s achievements, noting that the state now possesses the personnel, infrastructure, and political commitment required to sustain malaria elimination efforts. The initiative notably improved healthcare services for pregnant women and expanded access to free malaria treatment throughout Ekiti communities.

Project Director of Solina Health, Daniel Abraham, highlighted that the intervention aimed to reduce malaria prevalence by enhancing service delivery, broadening community engagement, and fortifying health systems. Covering all 16 local government areas, 177 wards, and 203 primary healthcare facilities, the project trained 1,250 health workers, improved service delivery in over 200 facilities, and reached more than 958,000 women, children, and community members with critical malaria interventions.

Abraham added that 958,022 residents were tested for malaria, 703,041 received Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapy (ACT), and 182,281 children under five received timely treatment. The initiative also provided preventive therapy for 92,853 pregnant women and stabilized 686 severe malaria cases through pre-referral care.

Folu Ekundare, Project Coordinator of IMPACT and Program Manager of the State Malaria Elimination Program, stated that the Ministry of Health is well-prepared to assume full responsibility for implementation. He noted that the capacity built during the project—including training, testing, treatment, and supply chain management—has positioned Ekiti to sustain the gains achieved over the two-year period.