Health experts and government officials have attributed the significant reduction in malaria prevalence and under-five mortality in Ondo State to the successful implementation of the World Bank-supported IMPACT Malaria Project
They made the remarks on Monday in Akure during the close-out ceremony of the project, implemented by the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) in collaboration with the Ondo State Ministry of Health
The Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of IHVN, Dr Charles Mensah, described the project as highly impactful, commending the Ondo State Government for its commitment and support throughout its implementation
According to Mensah, although the project was initially designed to run for a longer period, it successfully achieved its targets within a shorter timeframe due to strong collaboration among stakeholders
“The World Bank invested significantly in the project In naira terms, the investment was about N1.5 billion, covering commodities, training of healthcare workers, logistics and other interventions across the state and local government levels,” he said.
Also speaking, the World Bank representative, Dr Pwanedo Nzomisaki, said the project, which commenced in the state in 2024, had delivered remarkable results within a short period
Nzomisaki noted that available data showed malaria prevalence in Ondo State declined from 27 per cent to 13 per cent, describing the achievement as a major public health milestone
She commended IHVN and the state implementation team for their dedication to achieving the project’s objectives
The Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, said the project exceeded expectations by significantly reducing under-five mortality and strengthening primary healthcare services across the state
According to him, under-five mortality declined from 65 to 15 per cent during the implementation period, while malaria prevalence dropped from 27 to 13 per cent
He added that the intervention revitalised 102 primary healthcare facilities and improved routine immunisation coverage through its Immunisation Plus component