Oyo Intensifies Malaria Prevention, Offers Free Healthcare Services on World Malaria Day

Oyo Intensifies Malaria Prevention, Offers Free Healthcare Services on World Malaria Day 

The Oyo State Government, through the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, has intensified efforts to combat malaria with a series of awareness and healthcare activities to commemorate the 2026 World Malaria Day.

The event, themed “Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must,” featured an awareness rally, free malaria testing, and the distribution of free antimalarial drugs to residents, especially vulnerable groups across communities in the state.

The programme attracted health professionals, community leaders, women groups, youths, stakeholders, and residents who participated actively in the campaign aimed at reducing the burden of malaria.

As part of the activities, participants moved through major parts of the community carrying educational placards and sensitising residents on the importance of environmental sanitation, personal hygiene, and the use of preventive measures such as insecticide-treated mosquito nets.

Residents also benefited from free malaria screening and treatment services, while health workers provided counselling and health education sessions to encourage early detection and prompt medical intervention.

Speaking during the rally, Director of Special Duties at the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Abiodun Akande, who represented the Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr. Muideen Olatunji, urged residents to remain vigilant in the fight against malaria by embracing preventive healthcare practices and maintaining clean environments.

He advised residents to ensure proper waste disposal, clear drainage channels around their homes, and avoid activities that could encourage mosquito breeding, stressing that environmental cleanliness remains critical to malaria prevention.

Akande also encouraged residents to utilise Primary Health Care facilities within their communities for timely testing, treatment, and other essential healthcare services, noting that early diagnosis is one of the most effective ways to control malaria.

Also speaking, the Malaria Desk Officer, Mrs. Grace Omobolanle Dotun-Fasasi, urged pregnant women to register and attend antenatal clinics regularly at nearby Primary Health Care centres for proper screening, preventive care, and professional medical attention.

She noted that routine medical checkups and early healthcare intervention are essential in protecting both mothers and children from malaria-related complications.

Dotun-Fasasi further encouraged women and caregivers to take advantage of government healthcare programmes available across Primary Health Care centres in the state, describing accessible healthcare as a key strategy in reducing maternal and child mortality.

The commemoration, according to the government, reflects the commitment of the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board to quality healthcare delivery, disease prevention, and the promotion of healthier communities across the state.

The statement was signed by the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, on May 13, 2026.