The Akwa Ibom State government has expressed the optimism that the reduction in malaria prevalence following a number of activities it has embarked upon aimed at the elimination of the disease which experts say has a widespread impact on the economy and society.
Malaria is also seen as a significant illness that is preventable but has a devastating effect on children under five and pregnant women as well as adults.
Several programmes have in recent years been launched to reduce its impact including the use of insecticide-treated nets and a visit to health facilities for testing and treatment.
Augustine Vincent Umoh, a professor of medicine and commissioner for health in Akwa Ibom State who expressed the optimism in an interview to mark the World Malaria Day 2023 commemoration said the prevalence of the disease had reduced to 22 percent significantly from about 23.3 percent adding that it was important to keep malaria prevention on the front burner always.
The commissioner, who emphasised the need for testing before treatment of all malaria cases, announced the test are free, adding that the state government has procured some quantity of medications to use in the state.
He expressed dismay over the abuse of insecticide-treated nets in the state, saying that the state government would continue to advocate its proper use to prevent malaria pointing out that “those who may have abused the net should not do so, let us help ourselves by making proper use of the nets that have distributed.’’
Speaking on the theme of this year’s World Malaria Day which is to deliver zero malaria, invest, innovate and implement,’’ he said it highlights the need for urgent action to ensure investments made to date deliver maximum impact in the fight to end malaria.
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“It is a preventable and treatable disease yet continues to have a devastating impact on the health and livelihood of people around the world. It is a life -threatening disease caused by plasmodium species which are transmitted through the bite of infected female anopheles mosquito and the most common cause of health facility attendance of all age groups in all parts of Nigeria with Akwa Ibom State not let out,’’ he said.
He called for collaboration with private sector operators as well as philanthropists in helping to procure of free medication for the treatment of the disease while urging pregnant women to use Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamine (SP) drugs for Intermittent Preventive Treatment of malaria during pregnancy and also adopted the various preventive measures which the state government has implemented including keeping the environment clean always.
According to him, the state government backed by stakeholders has adopted evidence-based malaria interventions in all the public health facilities in the state which he said included injectable artesunate for management of severe malaria, Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy drugs for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria as well as microscopy and rapid diagnostic parasitological diagnosis of malaria.
