The Malaria Action Programme for States (MAPS) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has built the capacity of 1,830 health workers for malaria prevention in Akwa Ibom.

The program which has just been rounded up in the state trained the health workers on Malaria case management, prevention and control in pregnancy, Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test (mRDT). It has also trained 25 laboratory scientists on malaria microscopy.

Speaking in Uyo, The Head of MAPS in Nigeria, Mr Oluwole Adeusi said that within the two years of MAPS existence in Akwa Ibom, over 95 per cent of confirmed uncomplicated malaria cases had been appropriately treated.

He said that MAPS in collaboration with other partners worked assiduously to improve adherence to national malaria guidelines, planning, budgeting and development of annual operational plan in the state.

The project which started in March 2014 has implemented monthly data validation exercise from local government areas as well as monthly state meeting on monitoring and evaluation.

The coordinator said that the programme had trained 150 personnel on Health Management Information System (HMIS) and supported robust health data consultative meetings. The programme hasassisted the continuous distribution of long lasting insecticidal nets through ante natal clinics and during immunisation days.

MAPS is a six-year programme spanning 2010 to 2016, implemented by FHI360 in partnership with Malaria Consortium (MC) and Health Partners International (HPI).