Malaria responsible for most deaths, illnesses in Nigeria –HACEY

BY STEPHEN GBADAMOSI

A non-governmental organisation, HACEY, with support from Access Corporation, has said Malaria is responsible for a large number of deaths and illnesses in Nigeria, adding that it has organised medical outreaches across four states in Nigeria to combat the scourge in commemoration of World Malaria Day.

Executive Director of HACEY, Rhoda Robinson, who disclosed this while listing the states for the outreach to include Lagos, Delta, Kaduna and Akwa Ibom, said malaria was a significant public health concern in Nigeria; and that the country had one of the highest burdens of malaria in the world.

She explained that malaria was responsible for a large number of deaths and illnesses in Nigeria every year, particularly among young children under five years of age and pregnant women.

“According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria accounted for 27 per cent of the estimated global malaria cases in 2020, making it the country with the highest number of malaria cases in the world.

“There were an estimated 61 million malaria cases in Nigeria, accounting for 23 per cent of global cases. Malaria is responsible for approximately 11 per cent of maternal mortality in Nigeria and children under five years of age; and pregnant women are the most vulnerable to malaria in Nigeria.

“The high burden of malaria in Nigeria highlights the urgent need for effective prevention and treatment measures to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this disease.

“Malaria prevention measures include the use of insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor residual spraying and environmental management to reduce mosquito breeding sites.

“Treatment measures include prompt diagnosis and treatment with effective anti-malaria medications such as artemisinin-based combination therapies.

“Efforts to control malaria in Nigeria require a coordinated and sustained approach involving multiple stakeholders, including the government, healthcare providers, community leaders and international organizations,” she said.

Addressing the challenges of malaria control in Nigeria, she said this would require a commitment to long-term investments in health systems strengthening, research and development as well as community engagement to ensure that effective prevention and treatment measures reach those who needed them most.

Also speaking, Access Corporation’s Head of Sustainability, Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, said Access Corporation was committed to supporting interventions aimed at reducing the incidence of malaria in Nigeria.

“Malaria is a significant public health concern in Nigeria; and efforts to control the disease require a coordinated approach involving multiple stakeholders, including the private sector.

“Investments in high-impact projects and interventions aimed at reducing the incidence of malaria can make a significant difference in the fight against the disease. Effective interventions include, but are not limited to, the distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor residual spraying and the provision of prompt and effective diagnosis and treatment for malaria.

“The private sector has an important role to play in supporting these efforts, both through financial contributions and through their expertise and resources. By investing in malaria control programmes, private sector organisations help to reduce the burden of malaria in Nigeria, improve the health of women and children and contribute to the overall development and prosperity of the country.

“Ultimately, the goal of all these efforts is to reduce and ultimately end deaths resulting from malaria infection in Nigeria. By working together and leveraging the strengths of different stakeholders, we can make significant progress towards this goal and improve the health and well-being of millions of people in Nigeria and beyond,” he said.

The organisations said they had reached over 5,000 households with lifesaving information on preventing malaria and distributed over 3,000 long-lasting insecticidal nets and 3,000 IpTp to pregnant women with the aim to help prevent malaria and similar issues in their communities.

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Stephen Gbadamosi,
Assistant Editor with the Nigerian Tribune,
Former S A Media to Speaker, Ekiti State Hoise of Assembly,
Writer and Media Consultant