Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said on Tuesday in Abuja that Nigeria would end malaria mortality by 2020.

The minister stated this at a town hall meeting and policy dialogue for good governance jointly organised by the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI) and Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.

“We have set some timeframe for ourselves. We are committed to reducing maternal mortality before the life span of this administration.

“We want to end malaria mortality by the end of 2020,” he said.

Mr. Adewole said the government was at the verge of putting a new health policy for the country.

He recalled that attempts had been made twice, in 1988 and 2004, respectively, to develop health policy for the nation.

The minister said the 2016 budget features three prominent areas in the health sector – immunisation, management of disease outbreak, maternal and child mortality.

He said the government was committed to ensuring accountability, transparency and reducing inefficiency in the health sector.

Mr. Adewole said that the government was also looking beyond the budget and had secured a $500 million loan from the World Bank to address maternal and child mortality.

In utilising the fund, the minister said the federal government would partner with the states.

Besides, the minister said the government launched a new programme called “Better Health for All Nigerians”; an initiative for taking care of the poor people.

He said through the programme, government will offer free surgery to the poor; screen 500,000 for diabetes and hypertension; 40,000 for hepatitis; 40,000 for cervical cancer, and 20,000 for breast cancer.

He said the programme would also be used to handle the nutritional emergency in Borno.

Mr. Adewole said that seven tertiary health institutions had been selected for upgrade to handle cancer, renal and cardiac problems, which takes many patients abroad.

He said the step would help to reverse medical tourism which is costing the country over one billion dollars annually on capital flight. (Peoples Daily)

•Photo shows Prof. Adewole.

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