Experts strategise to defeat malaria

Malaria is a life threatening disease which is transmitted by the bite of the female anopheles mosquito.

Scientific findings confirm that malaria is an entirely preventable and treatable disease.
Reports show that increased prevention and control measures have led to a 29% reduction in malaria mortality rates globally since 2010. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says in 2015, there were roughly 212 million malaria cases and an estimated 429 000 malaria deaths while Sub-Saharan Africa continues to carry a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. WHO’s latest report spotlights critical gaps in prevention coverage, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

The incidence and deaths from malaria is still high in Nigeria even as millions still lack access to the essential tools they need to prevent and treat the disease. As Nigeria on April 25, two days ago joined the world to mark this year’s World Malaria Day, medical experts have again reminded Nigerians of the need to present themselves early for diagnosis whenever they suspect malaria and then seek prompt treatment when diagnosed of the disease so as to reduce deaths associated with the disease.

They also want government at all levels to make diagnostic and treatment facilities more accessible and affordable to the people, especially those in the rural areas.
With over 300 thousand Nigerians dying from malaria each year, the disease kills more people than HIV AIDS and Tuberculosis put together and is the highest cause of death of children under five years. This is why on April 25 each year, the world celebrates malaria day in order to find solutions to eradicating this disease in Africa.

One of the experts and Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, pointed out that accurate diagnosis of malaria would significantly improve the quality of patient care.
Idris said if the problem of late diagnosis and poor treatment is addressed and people get early treatment, that would prevent it moving from simple malaria to severe malaria.
A National Policy on Malaria Diagnostics and Treatment formulated by the federal government recommended that people should be tested before medicines are sold to them.
People with suspected malaria are advised to have parasitological confirmation of diagnosis with either Microscopy or Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) before anti-malaria treatment is started.