The Nigerian Government has disclosed that nine people die every hour from malaria in the country. This sums up to a total of 53 million deaths yearly in the country.
Prof Olugbenga Mokuolu, the Technical Director of the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) made this known recently at a media parley by NMEP in Abuja. He also disclosed that the current COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the lockdown is seriously impeding the nation’s malaria program all over the states.
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The fear from this is that Nigeria’s despicable record of 25 percent of global deaths from malaria might even increase if nothing urgent is done.
However, he disclosed that there has been significant progress in curbing the high rate of malaria in the country. Statistics show that the nation recorded a high 42 percent Malaria cases in 2010. This has declined to 23% in 2018 coupled with a sharp drop in the mortality rate.
Dr. Audu Bala Mohammed, the National Coordinator of the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP), disclosed that plans are on ground to distribute over 31.5 million insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) in eleven states. The states are Adamawa, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kwara, Oyo, Plateau, Osun, and Zamfara. The coordinator stated that except Oyo, all other states were covered with some states recording 95% coverage.
ITNs were distributed to about 17 million people in six states. Dr. Bala further revealed that the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) was able to reach 9 states. SMC is a preventive measure conducted within the Sahel region. It focuses on children between 3 and 59 months of age.
Peace Omenka
Photo Credit: Technology Networks