The Kwara State Government has stepped up collaboration with the Federal Government and development partners to tackle infectious diseases, holding a one-day summit aimed at eliminating HIV, viral hepatitis, syphilis, and malaria.
The event, organized in partnership with the National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, and STIs Control Program (NASCP) and Trinity Healthcare Foundation, provided what officials described as a vital platform to design practical solutions and strengthen partnerships for improved health outcomes.
In a statement signed by Saad Hamdalat, Press Secretary of the State Ministry of Health, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina El-Imam, said the summit was themed “Synergising Efforts to End Infectious Diseases: Strengthening Investment, Innovation and Collaboration Against HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Syphilis, and Malaria in Kwara State.”
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Abdullahi Taoheed, El-Imam highlighted that infectious diseases continue to pose a serious challenge in the state. She explained that the summit’s objectives included strengthening investment, exploring innovative financing, and fostering research and technology that can accelerate disease elimination.
“This summit will lead to enhancing collaboration and uniting government, civil society, private sector, and development partners in a common cause,” she said.
The Commissioner commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his administration’s progress in expanding access to HIV services, prevention of mother to child transmission, improved antiretroviral therapy coverage, and intensified malaria control efforts.
In his keynote address, the Director of Public Health, Dr. Oluwatosin Fakayode, called for sustainable investment and multisectoral collaboration in disease control.
Also speaking, Prof. Sulaimon Akanmu, a haematology and blood transfusion expert at the University of Lagos, underscored the importance of early detection of HIV, warning that untreated acute infections could significantly worsen the national burden. He urged wider testing and treatment coverage to achieve the global target of zero HIV cases by 2030.
The State Epidemiologist, Dr. Khadeejah Kamaldeen, noted that while Kwara has recorded a decline in malaria prevalence to six per cent, the state still faces risks from congenital syphilis and other infectious diseases. She stressed the need for routine screening and stronger preventive measures for vulnerable groups, particularly women and children.
The summit brought together stakeholders from government, civil society, academia, and the private sector, reinforcing the state’s commitment to sustainable health investment and innovative partnerships.
