By Steve Oko

The Abia State Government has commended PanAfricare, a leading non-state actor implementing the Malaria IMPACT Project in the state, for its frontline role in the fight against malaria.

Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, gave the commendation during the final dissemination of the Abia State Malaria IMPACT Project held at the Ministry of Health, Umuahia.

He said PanAfricare had significantly complemented government efforts aimed at malaria eradication in the state.

Prof. Uche assured that the Government would consolidate and sustain the structures and frameworks established by PanAfricare to preserve the gains already recorded.

He noted that the present administration has consistently demonstrated commitment to the health of residents through strategic collaborations with relevant health institutions and development partners.

According to him, the health of Abians remains a top priority of the administration, a commitment he said is evident in its investments, partnerships and policy direction.

Prof. Uche disclosed that access to healthcare services in the state hay increased from about 200 to over 700 facilities, while patient attendance rose from about 50,000 in 2023 to more than one million in 2025—describing the achievement as “a rare feat.”

In her remarks, the National Coordinator of the National Malaria Elimination Programme, Dr Nnenna Ogbulafor, represented by the National Programme Manager of the Malaria IMPACT Programme, Mr Philips Okoko, said “malaria remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria”.

She, however, praised the Abia State Government for strengthening its healthcare system, which has enabled measurable progress.

Ogbulafor, attributed the successes to the strong political will of Governor Alex Otti, noting that his commitment to making affordable healthcare accessible to all Abians is evident in the state’s collaborative approach with health partners.

She, however, urged the government to sustain the momentum.

Ogbulafor expressed optimism over the reduction in malaria prevalence in Abia from 15 per cent in 2023 to 11 per cent in 2025, adding that with the current pace, the state could attain zero prevalence in the near future.

Speaking also , the Country Director of PanAfricare, Dr Patrick Adah, described the intervention as a turning point in Abia’s healthcare delivery system.

He said the initiative had served as a vehicle for driving the governor’s vision of restoring standards, confidence and community trust in healthcare services, stressing that lives are saved when government, partners and communities work in synergy.

Earlier, the State Project Manager of the Abia Malaria IMPACT Project, Comrade Arua Obasi Ude, said PanAfricare enjoyed a robust working relationship with the Abia State Government, which helped the project achieve its objectives within record time.

He called for sustainability of the gains and reaffirmed the organisation’s readiness to partner the state in other development areas.

The event featured goodwill messages from partners, including representatives of the World Health Organization, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, and consultants to PanAfricare.

Umunneochi, Ohafia and Umuahia North local government areas emerged first, second and third respectively, based on high utilisation of malaria commodities.