To combat malaria and enhance maternal and child health, the Ondo State Government has officially unveiled the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) as the Non-State Actor (NSA) for the Immunization and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Malaria Project.
The unveiling ceremony, held in Akure, was presided over by Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa who was represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Professor Simidele Odimayo. He emphasized the state’s commitment to transparency and excellence in selecting IHVN, aligning with Ondo State’s reputation for integrity and proactive health initiatives.
At the event, IHVN IMPACT Project Chief of Party, Dr. Temitope Kolade affirmed the Institute’s commitment to working closely with the state to achieve set targets. “We are working with local community-based organizations to ensure that we gain ownership and easy acceptance of the project in the state. We are also going to work with the existing community structures, the gatekeepers, ward development committees, and local government structures,” she noted.
Professor Odimayo highlighted the alarming global malaria statistics, noting that Nigeria accounts for 37% of the global malaria burden. He urged IHVN to collaborate closely with the state to alter this narrative by implementing effective strategies and ensuring measurable improvements in malaria indices.
He stated, “At the end of the exercise, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa expects that the statistics must change in the state. We will be assessing you, and we want to be proud at the end of the project.”
The IMPACT Malaria Project is funded by the World Bank and aims to promote the use of Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs) among pregnant women and children under five. Other project goals include, strengthening case management skills of healthcare providers through Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) training and sensitizing communities on the use of Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Pregnancy (IPTp) and Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC).
The Ondo State IMPACT Project Manager Dr. Folayan Abolaji, outlined the project’s goals, including reducing under-five mortality in the state by 40%, from 15 to less than 10 deaths per 1,000 live births. He emphasized the importance of community engagement, stating that previous surveys indicated excellent distribution of ITNs but poor utilization. “This program will see to it that while making provision for necessary interventions, commodities, and drugs, we engage civil society organizations and community based organizations that will propagate and increase the utilization of these services,” he said.
The Ondo State Government’s partnership with IHVN under the IMPACT Malaria Project represents a concerted effort to reduce malaria prevalence and improve maternal and child health outcomes, aligning with the broader goal of achieving a malaria-free Nigeria by 2030
