By Terver Akase
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to the fight against malaria and other killer diseases.
Governor Ortom made known the resolve of the State Government today when he received a delegation of United States Agency for International Development, USAID, at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi.
He said the decision of his administration to make health one of the pillars of its blueprint was a conscious move to make the wellbeing of the people a priority.
“Our administration believes in the saying that health is wealth. This is why since we assumed office, we have given great attention to the training of the needed medical personnel while we provide morden health facilities,” he stated.
Governor Ortom thanked the United States Government for the huge investment it had made in Benue State through its Malaria Action Program for States (MAPS), since 2011 with the supply of anti -malaria drugs to the people.
He assured the delegation of the State Government’s readiness to support efforts aimed at improving the lives of the people as it has demonstrated through the payment of counterpart funds.
Earlier, the Country Director of USAID in Nigeria, Iyeme Efeme, pledged the continued collaboration of the agency with the Benue State Government to successfully combat malaria.
He disclosed that distribution of 3.4 million long lasting insecticidal nets will commence in the state later this month, in addition to the ongoing supply of malaria commonalities over 247 health facilities in the 23 local government areas of the state.
Others who spoke during the visit were the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cecelia Ojabo and Mr. Oluwole Adeusi of USAID, who stressed the importance of greater partnership between Benue and the U.S agency, for benefit of the people.