The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Breakthrough Action, one of its sponsored programmes, has advocated for social behavioural change in eradicating malaria.
Dr Sunday Moses, the Programme Coordinator for USAID/Breakthrough Action Nigeria, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Jos, said that social behavioural change was key in eradicating malaria.
He said imbibing practices such as sleeping under Insecticidal Treated Nets, the use of Rapid Diagnostic Test kits for actual diagnosis and adherence to the full course of the ACTs were salient changes needed for elimination of the disease.
Moses called on traditional and religious leaders to advocate for positive change of harmful social norms, beliefs and practices that were related to malaria eradication among their subjects and congregants.
He explained that if these changes were effectively implemented, there would be minimal or no cases due to malaria and there would be an effective decline in under five as well as maternal and new-born deaths caused by malaria.
Moses said this could bring about a healthier and more educated state and country at large.