Benue has recorded a drop in malaria cases from 23 percent to 12.8 percent, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Ngbea said.

Ngbea, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry,  Andrew Amee, made this known while briefing newsmen in Makurdi.

According to him, the figure is based on the latest Nigeria Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) 2020.

“This feat is made possible largely to the continued support and maintenance of essential health services by the state government.

“The state government ensured that communities are protected from malaria,” he said.

The commissioner said that malaria kills more than 400,000 people around the world every year, mostly children.

He, however, said that with continued use of proven tools and methods, such as insecticide-treated bed nets, better management of malaria in children and pregnant women, its prevalence would go down.

“Also, with expanded use of preventive medicine during high malaria transmission season and insecticide resistance monitoring, malaria cases will come down.

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“I, therefore, urge everyone to use the proven tools, including sleeping inside long-lasting insecticidal nets correctly and consistently all year round in order to actualize our target of zero malaria in the state.

“Also, seek a prompt diagnosis for fever cases within 24 hours of the onset of fever symptoms.

“We look forward to seeing a day when we will celebrate a world free of Malaria,” he said.