…Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi States records highest prevalence
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The National Coordinator of Nigeria Malaria Elimination Programme, NMEP, of the Federal Ministry of Health, FMOH, Dr. Godwin Ntadom has disclosed that Nigeria has subscribed and will soon commence vaccination of malaria vaccine in Kebbi and Bayelsa States.
He disclosed that Nigeria joined a few African countries like Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire , Kenya and Ghana to subscribe to vaccines to eliminate malaria from their countries and that Nigeria is set to toll this line.
He said that Nigeria contributes 31% of global malaria deaths.
Ntadom said,”So far only two countries have deployed vaccines – Cameroon and Cote D’Ivoire , Kenya , Ghana and others. It is new and the country has also subscribed to it and very soon we are going to start the use in some states like, starting with Kebbi and Bayelsa and overtime to other states.”
The NMEP Coordinator stated that states like Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi have the highest prevalence of the malaria fever, adding that although in the last in the last seven, 2015 to 2021 years the country has recorded a downward trend of malaria as he attributes it to government’s efforts at reducing the burden in the country.
He said ,”lf you follow the trend of malaria, l would say it is reducing. 2015, it was 27%, 2021 it was 22%, and l can assure that if we had done it in 2024, it will reduce considering the efforts we put into reducing the burden.”
While enumerating government’s efforts at containing the malaria fever particularly among under five children and pregnant women, Ntadom stated that government have deployed strategies like providing anti- malarial medicines and distribution of mosquito treated nets and recently seasonal malaria chemo- preventive treatment in the Northern part of Nigeria where malaria is prevalent.
He said ,” I must tell you that the mortality in that region has reduced as a result of the intervention of seasonal malaria chemo-prevention”, adding that chemo preventive treatment is about where malaria is seasonal, and rainfall is seasonal.
We have other interventions like the intermittent preventive treatment for pregnant women, distribute nets to pregnant women as we do campaigns. We also do TIN, when women deliver in health facilities they get free nets in most parts of the country, he stressed.
According to him, another strategic way to eliminate malaria is to target school children.
He said, The intervention we are trying to start and pilot in some areas is the preventive treatment among school children.”
The head of the malaria team noted that there is a need for people to focus on the vector that causes malaria which is mosquitoes, emphazing, “What we can do is
to make sure that these mosquitoes don’t breed, don’t allow stagnant water-fill up all the mashes.”
” Anywhere you know mosquitoes can breed, prevent it. As long as you can prevent where they can breed, you don’t have much mosquitoes.”
He urged people to be proactive by sleeping under mosquito treated nets.
We need to focus on the vector that causes malaria and that is mosquitoes. Mosquitoes breeds in our neighborhood. What can we do to make sure that these mosquitoes don’t breed, don’t allow stagnant water-fill up all the mashes. Anywhere you know mosquitoes can breed, prevent it. As long as you can prevent where they can breed, you don’t have much mosquitoes .
We should be proactive by sleeping under mosquito treated nets, as long as you are not bitten by mosquitoes it is likely that you won’t malaria.
The Head of Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization , National Malaria Elimination Programme, FMOH, Raphael Oyinlo speaking with newsmen said that the Media Chat with Journalists is to enlighten the media on malaria as a public health issue and how they can sensitize the populace about malaria prevention and diagnosis and to increase knowledge about the parasite.
The essence is to ensure that malaria is eliminated from Nigeria. If other African countries that are lower than us can achieve that I see no reason why we can’t eliminate malaria, Oyinlo added.
