Mrs Adenike Adeleke, the Osun State Commissioner for Federal Matters, has stated that the state was ready to advance its Primary Health Care (PHC) service delivery for public well-being.

Adeleke made this statement in Abuja on Sunday at the end-of-year party organised by the Association of Osun State Indigenes in Federal Public Service, Abuja.

She was represented by Mr Olukunle Alao, Director of the Osun State Liaison Office in Abuja.

Adeleke emphasised that the government was committed to providing more support to ensure healthcare services were more accessible to where people live and work.

She also highlighted that such services were part of the democratic benefits promised by the current administration in the state.

“Recently, our state received an award for being the best performing state in Primary Health Care in the South West. This demonstrates that Gov. Ademola Adeleke prioritises the health of the people,” she said.

She encouraged the association members to prioritise health to live longer, stressing, “Health is wealth.”

Adeleke also shared positive feedback from the public, noting that the people have rated the administration highly in health, infrastructure, and education.

“We must express our appreciation to our people,” she added.

She further urged members to protect their culture, language, and traditions by passing them on to their children.

“It is important for our children to understand that they are from Osun State, particularly our villages and towns. We should always encourage them to visit home once in a while,” she said.

She also conveyed the governor’s greetings to the association members on the occasion.

Mr Suleiman Olapade, Chairman of the Association of Osun State Indigenes in Federal Public Service, Abuja, thanked the Osun State government for its support.

Olapade commended the executives and members for their efforts to uplift the association and urged them to serve as true ambassadors of the state.

He also encouraged members to intensify efforts to promote good governance in Osun.

According to Olapade, the objectives of the association include promoting the legitimate interests of members, empowering them through cooperative societies, and fostering mutual benefits.

In his address, Chief Omolade Adebayo of Tundunwada, Lugbe, Abuja, urged members to value unity, respect, love, and mutual understanding among themselves.

He emphasised that these qualities were crucial for the sustainability and longevity of any successful association.

The Federal Government, with support from the Global Fund, has deployed 333 Truenat devices across the country in an effort to combat tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant TB (DR-TB).

Mrs Rita Akpakpan, Head of Laboratory Services at the Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Program (NTBLCP), disclosed this to newsmen on the side-lines of the 2024 National Tuberculosis Conference on Thursday in Abuja.

Akpakpan said that the initiative was expected to transform TB diagnostics in peripheral and underserved areas, significantly boosting case detection rates and improving access to timely care.

“Nigeria accounts for 75 per cent of the global “missing TB cases” and 70 per cent of missing DR-TB cases due to limited access to rapid molecular testing in rural and remote areas.

“The Truenat system, developed by India-based Molbio Diagnostics, offers a portable, battery-operated, and solar-compatible solution designed for point-of-care testing,” she said.

She said that Truenat had proven to drastically reduce diagnostic turnaround times while increasing TB case detection rates.

“This deployment will enable NTBLCP to test an additional 8,000 people daily, or two million more annually, helping to curtail community transmission and ensuring early treatment, “she said.

According to her, the Truenat device stands out for its suitability in resource-limited settings.

“The device is compact, rugged, and dust-tolerant. It operates efficiently in temperatures of up to 40°C without air conditioning and has minimal biosafety issues.

“This makes it ideal for Nigeria’s remote and high-temperature regions,” she said.

She said that the system could detect TB and Rifampicin resistance by extracting, amplifying, and identifying specific genomic DNA, providing rapid and accurate results at the point of care.

Dr Emperor Ubochioma, the Programme Management Unit Team Lead, emphasised the transformative nature of the initiative:

“This deployment empowers our healthcare system with advanced diagnostic tools that reach hard-to-reach areas.

“We are confident that this will significantly improve TB detection rates and treatment outcomes, reducing the burden of TB in our country,” he said.

He said that to ensure seamless implementation, Molbio Diagnostics and NTBLCP were conducting nationwide training sessions for end users, alongside the installation of the devices.

Mr Sriram Natarajan, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Molbio Diagnostics, highlighted the significance of this effort:

“The deployment of 333 Truenat devices in Nigeria marks a significant milestone in our mission to provide innovative diagnostic solutions to underserved regions.

“We are committed to supporting Nigeria in its fight against TB and improving public health outcomes.

The Kebbi State Ministry of Health in collaboration with State Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), has inaugurated rollout of malaria vaccination for children from five to 11 months in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme is being launched simultaneously in Bayelsa.

NAN also reports that the Dep. Gov. Umar Abubakar-Tafida, of Kebbi, flagged off the malaria vaccine immunisation exercise in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.

Flagging the exercise, Abubakar-Tafida, lamented that malaria had been a significant challenge, “claiming countless lives and impacting the health and well-being of our communities.

“Today, we take a monumental step in our ongoing battle against this deadly disease.

“The introduction of the malaria vaccine stands as a symbol of hope and a clear demonstration of our unwavering dedication to protecting the health of our citizens.

“Kebbi State has long remained committed to improving the health and well-being of its people.”

He said the present administration’s focus has always been on ensuring accessible healthcare, advancing medical interventions, and addressing the pressing health challenges that affect the communities.

“The introduction of the malaria vaccine into our routine immunisation programme is a clear indication of this commitment.

“We recognise that the health of our people is foremost to the growth and prosperity of our state.

“This initiative is part of our broader vision to reduce preventable diseases, particularly malaria, and to create a healthier, more resilient population,” he said.

Abubakar-Tafida, also added that the introduction of the malaria vaccine was a game-changer in their fight against this disease.

“When combined with existing malaria control measures such as Seasonal Malaria Chemotherapy (SMC) and the distribution of treated mosquito nets, we are confident that we can significantly reduce the burden of malaria in Kebbi.

“With the launch of this vaccine intervention, we are optimistic that we can create a healthier, more prosperous future for our people,” he said.

Abubakar-Tafida urged the general public to take advantage of the lifesaving intervention, saying” the vaccine is safe, effective, and free.”

He stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to ensure that children, families, and communities were protected from the scourge of malaria.

“To our esteemed healthcare professionals and Traditional Rulers, your commitment and relentless work have brought us great success to this pivotal moment.

“Your efforts in ensuring the successful rollout of this vaccine are immeasurable. You are the front-line heroes in our fight against malaria, and for this, we owe you our deepest gratitude,” he commended.

The deputy governor thanked the National Primary Health Care Development Agency for their tireless efforts in leading the charge against malaria in Nigeria.

“I would also like to express our gratitude to the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international partners for their technical and financial support towards this initiative.

“Your partnership is invaluable, and we look forward to continued collaboration in our quest to eliminate malaria and other communicable diseases,” he said.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Health in the state, Alhaji Yunusa Ismail, highlighted that the malaria had been one of the health challenges facing the countries for many years.

He added that other nations had tried and eliminated malaria completely from their countries, saying that there had been series of discussions by the stakeholders in the countries, including the governors on ways to tackle the menace.

“It was concluded that at the end of the discussions that a newly introduced malaria vaccine should be tried and piloted in Kebbi and Bayelsa state, hence the reason for the inaugural rollout of malaria vaccination in the state.

“The vaccination has commenced on this December and the exercise will continue till February, 2025,” he said.

Ismail called on the traditional rulers to partner with the stakeholders to eradicate malaria through vaccine.

Speaking on behalf of the Gwandu Emirate, the Focal Person of the emirate, Alhaji Abubakar Muhammad, assured that the emirate would sustain its fatherly and advocacy contribution for the success of the vaccine set target in the state.

“The state is closer to Fadama and riverine areas, which add to the high rate of malaria alarming record in the state.

“We call on the general public to come out en mass for the vaccine and we thank the government and its partners for the feat,” he said.

Representatives of National Primary Heath Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Jamal Musa, World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Nasir Zurmi, and UNICEF, Alhaji Isa Ibrahim, appreciated the efforts of the state government and transformative leadership of Gov. Nasir Idris, in health sector in the state.

They renewed their commitment to ensuring the eradication of child killer diseases, especially malaria, urging parents and caregivers to leverage the vaccine rollout for the promotion of the children health in the state.