SUNMAP ENUGU HOLDS END OF PROGRAM DISSEMINATION MEETING





In Nigeria, over three hundred children die of malaria every year while close to eighty million people fall ill with malaria.

Despite this huge figure, many Nigerians are still ignorant of the need to prevent as well as treat malaria in the country.

Today, Malaria Consortium and Support to National Malaria Program, SUNMAP held it’s Enugu End of Program Dissemination Meeting.

The essence of the meeting is to enlighten stakeholders on the achievements and case studies of SuNMaP program in Enugu State from 2012 to 2016.

Support to National Malaria Program, SUNMAP was set up to support the Nigerian government and people in tackling the great burden of malaria in the country. 

It has so far assisted the government in establishing capacity need assessment which has helped them design a program for the country.

The central aim of the government’s strategic plan is to deliver interventions that work.

Malaria is a significant part of Nigeria’s health challenges, costing the nation at least one billion dollar a year, and causing many thousands of deaths annually.
 
Enugu State Director of Public Health, Dr Okechukwu Ossai with Technical Malaria Manager, SUNMAP, Dr Osita Okonkwo
While the disease is both preventable and treatable, it is believed that the public health system is overstretched. 

SuNMaP is implemented by international and local partners, each with complementary expertise in the various aspects of the program. 

It is funded by UKAid/Department for International Development and managed by Malaria Consortium.

Before now in Nigeria, many cases of fever have been presumed to be malaria and are treated accordingly.

This practice have continually led to improper treatment, stock outs of antimalarial drugs and the development of drug resistance. 

With SUNMAP’s inception in Enugu in 2012, it conducted capacity building baseline assessment to identify the health needs in Enugu State.

It went ahead to help the state develop the State Capacity Building Plan.

The Technical Malaria Manager, SUNMAP, Osita Okonkwo says SUNMAP has made great impact through its continued service delivery and program management training.
Technical Malaria Manager, SUNMAP, Dr Osita Okonkwo



Okonkwo noted that results have also been recorded through SUNMAPs community level assessment of radio messages on malaria prevention and treatment.

He said from 2012 till date, SUNMAP has remained a major supplier of commodities for the prevention and treatment of malaria in Enugu State.

He called on the government to provide supportive supervision and on the job capacity building for enhanced performance improvement at service delivery points.

As the SUNMAP program winds up in Nigeria, the State Commissioner for Health, Sam Ngwu while commending the impact made by the program towards ensuring Enugu State is malaria free has urged DFID to extend the program.



The high point of the meeting was the presentation of 24 high powered microscope to the Enugu State Government.

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