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Tag: Malaria

  • Nigeria may record high malaria related deaths if COVID-19 disrupts treatment, NMEP warns

    Nigeria may record high malaria related deaths if COVID-19 disrupts treatment, NMEP warns

    By Joyce Remi- Babayeju

    The National Malaria Elimination Programme, NMEP, has warned that Nigeria may likely record high rate of malaria related deaths if authorities allow COVID-19 to disrupt treatment of patients down with malaria fever in the country.

    National Coordinator of NMEP, Dr. Audu Bala Mohammed at the 1st 2020 Bi- annual Media Chat to mark this year’s World Malaria Day gave a warning that the hype in COVID-19 reported cases may become in stumbling block in the treatment of malaria patients because COVID-19 entry symptoms are same as those of malaria.

    The NMEP Coordinator said, “Recent projections suggest that where most prevention activities are cancelled or delayed, and malaria services like insecticide – related net campaigns and access to malarial medicines experience severe disruption then malaria deaths in Sub-Saharan African could double by end of this year” and this also implies to Nigeria.

    “It is therefore critical that Nigeria and other malaria –endemic countries minimize any disruptions of malaria prevention and treatment during COVID-19 response given that failure to do so could lead to catastrophic loss of life.”

    To mitigate high malarial reported deaths in Nigeria, Mohammed said, “ for us we intend to ensure access to and use of Insecticide Treated Nets, ITNs, are maintained through campaigns that are adapted to protect health workers and communities from COVID-19. We also intend to continue case management of malaria, including prompt diagnostic testing and treatment, delivered safely and appropriately.”
    The NMEP boss explained that a recent outcome from Global Funds survey shows that malaria and other key services are being disrupted in many countries due to lockdowns, clients not seeking health services as usual and COVID-19 related stigma.
    He called on Nigerians to take necessary preventive measures to avoid getting sick with malaria such as sleeping inside the net every night, having screens on doors and windows, pregnant women uptake of preventive medicines at regular intervals during pregnancy, and ensuring children below 5 years in the Sahelian region are brought out to have preventive medicines during the SMC campaigns.
    Deputy Director / Head, Integrated Vector Management of NMEP, Philip Okoko said that the agency is rolling out about 17 million mosquito net distribution in Adamawa, Osun, Kwara, Oyo, Benue, Plateau and Zamfara States.
    Okoko said, It’s a universal coverage, irrespective of social status, class or location. One net goes to two persons in one household.”
    During a presentation titled, “Improving and sustaining access to malaria interventions while dealing with COVID-19 related stigma and fear, Professor Olugbenga Mokuolu, the Technical Director NEMP at recent Media Chat in Abuja, said that COVID-19 is a challenge to everyone which comes with stigma.
    Speaking on the stigma associated with COVID-19 locally, Mokuolu said that it drives people to hide the illness to avoid discrimination, prevents people from seeking health care immediately and discourages them from adopting healthy behaviours and could even cause risk of mental breakdown in event of isolation, loneliness and even fear of death.
    He however said that direct impact of COVID-19 on malaria intervention on individuals include stigma , tread of infection in hospitals , delay in seeking care refusing some care and seeking care in wrong places and despair.
    While at the health facilities, it includes depleted workforce or neglect of patients and interruption in services and supply chain systems.
    According to Professor Mokuolu the way out for the country is for government to embark on key malaria interventions such as rolling out mass campaign on Long Lasting Insecticide Nets, LLINs, across the country, and ensure seasonal malaria prevention exercise including preventive packages for pregnant women.

  • Malaria: Child deaths in Nigeria decline by 16 percent in 10 years

    Malaria: Child deaths in Nigeria decline by 16 percent in 10 years

    Child deaths from malaria in Nigeriareduced by 16% in the last 10 years, a new report by the United States President Malaria Initiative in conjunction with World Malaria Day said.

    Malaria prevalence also fell to 23 percent from 42 percent during the same period.

    “Malaria is one of the leading causes of death among children in Nigeria,” said USAID Mission Director Stephen M. Haykin, who oversees PMI activities in collaboration with CDC leadership.

    “We are pleased to see our partnership with Nigeria has had clear success, and will continue this support with proven methods of prevention and treatment against malaria.”

    PMI’s report mirrored the commentary about malaria prevalence in Nigeria in the World Malaria 2019 published by the World Health Organisation.

    WHO said in the summary of the report that malaria deaths reduced between 2010 and 2018 in the world, noting that “the largest reduction being in Nigeria, from almost 153 000 deaths in 2010 to about 95 000 deaths in 2018.”

    The report showed that there were an estimated 228 million cases of malaria worldwide in 2018.

    405,000 malaria deaths were recorded in the same year with Nigeria accounting for “almost 24% of all global malaria deaths, followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (11%), the United Republic of Tanzania (5%), and Angola, Mozambique and Niger (4% each).”

    Nevertheless, malaria remains an onerous burden among the poorest and the most vulnerable echelons of Nigerian society. During pregnancy the disease can pose a life-threatening risk to both mothers and babies; malaria also causes adults and children to miss work and school, contributing to economic hardship.

    In 2019, PMI invested $70 million to help Nigeria fight malaria, distributed more than 6.9 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets, distributed 8.6 million doses of prophylaxis to pregnant women, 1.6 million doses to children during the rainy season, and 24 million doses of treatment at the facility and community levels. Additionally, 15.3 million rapid malaria tests were provided to help health workers properly diagnose and treat patients.

    Since 2010, PMI has invested $635 million to procure and distribute 57 million LLIN nets, support advocacy campaigns to encourage members of the community to sleep under the bed nets every night, and train health workers to test for malaria before treatment.

  • WHO warns that malaria deaths in Africa could double in 2020

    WHO warns that malaria deaths in Africa could double in 2020

    The number of malaria deaths in Africa could double to 769,000 this year, as efforts to curb the disease are disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned Thursday.

    The region has more than 25,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with more than 1,200 deaths, and governments working with partners such as the WHO are focusing on tackling the pandemic.

    WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, called on all countries to ensure that essential malaria prevention work continues.

    “A recent analysis has found that if insecticide-treated bed net distribution stops, and case management reduces, malaria deaths in sub-Saharan Africa could double in comparison to 2018

    “This would be the highest number of deaths seen in the region since the year 2000,” Moeti said at a briefing.

    She pointed to statistics from Africa’s Ebola outbreak showing that more people died of other diseases, including malaria, than from Ebola itself, due to lack of access to treatment.

    “Let us not repeat that again with COVID-19,” she said.

    In 2018, there were 213 million malaria cases and 360,000 related deaths in the African region, accounting for over 90 per cent of global cases.

    The WHO said that if the focus on slowing the spread of the new coronavirus leads to a reduction by three quarters of access to anti-malaria medicines, deaths could double to 769,000.

    “Countries across the region have a critical window of opportunity to minimize disruptions in malaria prevention and treatment and save lives at this stage of the COVID-19 outbreak,” the WHO said in a statement.

    The doubling of the number of deaths represents the worst case scenario, which also assumes the suspension of all distribution of treated mosquito nets due to the pandemic, the WHO said.

    Benin, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and Chad have all initiated anti-malaria programmes during the pandemic, the WHO said, adding that should serve as a model for other nations on the continent.

  • Foundation moves to eradicate malaria in Nigeria, Africa

    Foundation moves to eradicate malaria in Nigeria, Africa

    Hon. Ned Nwoko, Founder of Prince Ned Nwoko Foundation (PNNF), a humanitarian  NGO, on Sunday said  the organisation would champion the eradication of malaria from Nigeria and Africa through research funding.

    Nwoko stated this  when Rear Admiral Habila Ngalabak, Chief of Defence, Civil-Military Cooperation of the Nigerian Military, paid him a courtesy visit  in Abuja.

    The military chief earlier said the visit was to rally support and partnership with relevant civil stakeholders in commemoration of the 2020  Armed Forces Remembrance Week.

    The annual Armed Forces Remembrance Week celebration is to   honour gallant members of the Nigerian Armed Forces who paid the ultimate price in the defense of fatherland.

    It is also meant to generate funds via donations for the welfare of dependants of those who have suffered various setbacks as a result of their participation in wars.

    According to Nwoko, the PNNF is worried by the devastating effects of the malaria scourge in Nigeria and Africa in general, and is set to work toward a malaria-free continent in the foreseeable future.

    He said the organisation has launched “Kill malaria before it kills you” campaign as a final onslaught against mosquitoes and malaria in Africa, and world work with national and multilateral organisations to achieve results.

    He added that the foundation hoped to collaborate with governments, private organisations and the civil society toward achieving its objectives of extending malaria intervention programmes beyond control and palliatives to permanent eradication.

    According him, the PNNF’s short-term delivery plan on the malaria eradication programme is a national mobilisation for the fumigation of Nigeria and other African countries.

    Naomi said as an ex-member of the House of Representatives, he planned to push for legislation at the National Assembly for a National Fumigation Day or week in Nigeria, and wouls encourage same in other African countries.

    “The long-term strategy toward delivering the project is investing in development of reliable anti-malaria vaccine and the foundation plans to establish academic research grants for malaria vaccine in five universities spread across the continent.

    “I have approved the sum of 750, 000 dollars for that research, and the grants shall be accessed by selected scientific scholars in Africa.

    “Malaria is seen as an African problem, and it should therefore be handled by Africans, but our leaders have not shown the will and determination in this regard.

    “Presently, only six countries out of 54 that make up the African continent are recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as malaria-free, while the remaining 47 are endemic countries,” he said.(NAN)

  • Group backs WHO report, calls for increased funding to eradicate malaria

    Group backs WHO report, calls for increased funding to eradicate malaria

    RBM Partnership to End Malaria, a global coalition on Malaria, has supported WHO report, showing that global investments and actions are making big difference, while half of the world population are still at risk of dying from malaria.

    The RBM stated this in a statement it issued in Geneva while reacting to the 2019 World Malaria Report released by WHO on Dec. 4.

    According to the report, global malaria cases and deaths are declining but at a slowed rate: from an estimated 231 million to 228 million cases and from 416,000 to 405,000 deaths between 2017 and 2018.

    Estimates show that in 2018, global efforts saved almost 600,000 lives per year and prevented almost 100 million malaria cases per year compared to 2000.

    The statement quoted Dr Abdourahmane Diallo, the Chief Executive Officer, RBM Partnership to End Malaria as saying that “continued global investment and commitment toward a world free of malaria have been critical to sustaining the progress the malaria community has made to date, without these global efforts, malaria cases and deaths will be significantly higher.

    “Now, it is essential we step up global action and financing to close the annual two-billion-dollar funding gap to reach those at risk with sustainable access to life-saving tools.

    “We must also prioritise developing and scaling-up new, transformative tools to stay ahead of the evolving parasite, as highlighted in two landmark reports on malaria eradication published earlier this year.

    “It is crucial that we act now to hold leaders accountable and work together to achieve vital reduction targets, save millions more lives and end malaria for good.”

    Similarly, the statement quoted Dr Maha Taysir Barakat, the Board Chair, RBM Partnership to End Malaria, as saying that “in most parts of the world, a child who gets malaria today has a better chance of survival than at any other point in history.

    “Yet, despite the availability of effective life-saving malaria interventions, too many vulnerable pregnant women and children still face the greatest risk of dying from a mosquito bite.”

    He stressed that ending malaria was one of the greatest opportunities to improve child and maternal health and mortality and contribute to SDG 3, “to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

    “This report highlights the importance of further integrating malaria interventions – including prevention, diagnosis and treatment – into our health systems to reach those in most need, yet also to strengthen global efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage.”

    However, the statement noted that the report identified several global malaria success stories, with more than half of all countries now malaria-free and another 49 countries registering less than 10,000 cases.

    RBM Partnership to End Malaria is the largest global platform for coordinated action against malaria.

    Originally established as Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership in 1998, it mobilises for action and resources and forges consensus among partners.

    The platform is comprised of more than 500 partners, including malaria endemic countries, their bilateral and multilateral development partners, the private sector, Non-Governmental Organisations, community-based organisations, foundations, and research and academic institutions. (NAN)