No Nigerian Will Die Of Malaria By 2020 – Buhari’s Minister
Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has revealed that the Federal Government has put in place a strategic plan that will ensure no Nigerian dies of malaria by the year 2020.
Adewole revealed that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is already initiating strategic policies that will ensure the realisation of the goal.
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The minister revealed this the 58th Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) that held in Abuja on Thursday.
“We already have a strategic plan and that plan envisages an absolute situation where no Nigerian will die of malaria by 2020,’’ said Adewole.
“My appeal is for doctors not to treat malaria without a diagnosis. Do not allow fluid to come in contact with blood. I have also written for the supply of gloves and other protective kids because most of these infections are transmitted from animals to humans.
“I will write a letter to the chairman of the occasion, Gen Yakubu Gowon, who led the war against the breakup of Nigeria and the scourge of Guinea worm to also help us fight malaria.
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“It was Prof Lambo who said that when you have everything and you do not have health then you have nothing.
“Also you must all corporate with one another. When you are fighting for anything, fight together.
“Each time I speak or ask for money, people will think that because I am a medical doctor,” he added.
Speaking on the recent of codeine syrups by the government, Adewole said: “The National Assembly wrote a letter to us with about twelve recommendations which include the ban on codeine, decriminalization of addiction and others.
“We set up a committee and the deadline was on the 12th of April, 2018.
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“But for us as a government, we must stop the importation, production of syrups containing codeine.
“Under the former Minister of Health, Prof Ransome Kuti, syrups were removed from the essential drugs use because according to him, if someone has a cough, the treatment first is to diagnose it before the commencement of treatment.
“I heard that people mix codeine with tramadol and hot water and after they take it, they begin to run mad and we don’t want that,” said the minister.
