The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole has reiterated the commitment of  the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to the battle against malaria.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony of the replacement campaign of Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) ‎held at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo on Wednesday, Adewole said that the country has continued to witness appreciable progress in malaria control and elimination efforts.
According to the minister, “malaria cases are dropping in the country as recorded in 2015 Malaria Indicator Survey where cases dropped to 27% from 42% in 2010 MIS.”
He, however, said that despite malaria being preventable, it still remains a major public health problem in Nigeria as well as constitute a major barrier to social and economic development.
His words: “My ministry will continue to work with our partners to ensure we win this war against malaria in order to contribute towards a malaria free Nigeria in line with Mr. President’s change mantra. I have no doubt we are on course and we must sustain the gains achieved so far and improve on them.”
Adewole who was represented by the Chief Medical Director of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso disclosed that Osun state was one of the states in the series of mass replacement campaigns in which over 2.9m nets will be distributed to every household in the state.
Also, the Osun state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola promised the citizens of the state that his government would leave no stone unturned until the scourge of malaria disease caused by mosquitoes is defeated in the state.
The governor who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titilayo Laoye-Tomori described malaria as one of the factors mitigating ‎against productivity and as well causing poverty in the country, saying his government would not rest on its oars to wage war against the scourge.
 He noted that studies have shown that malaria contributed significantly to poverty because it reduces productivity by as much as 40 per cent and increases household expenditure on drugs and treatment from five to 20 per cent.
Aregbesola also said that malaria reduces life expectancy by about 20 years where it is accompanied by poverty, thus informed the need by his government in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Health and Global Fund to focus more on prevention of malaria than curing it.
His words: “In spite of the huge amount the governments both the Federal and the State spend in the provision of curative malaria drugs with the support received from the Global Fund, the state still records high rate of malaria cases, hence the shift to prevention of mosquito bites through the current use of treated nets by sleeping inside the net and taking other preventive measures like discouraging stagnant water in our premises to reduce the breeding site of mosquitoes in and around our premises.
“Malaria still claims up to one million lives a year and most of these deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa, a part of the world in which our country is located. Of this huge number, 75 per cent are children under five years.
“It is also a known fact that Nigeria alone bears about 25 percent of Africa’s malaria burden. Deaths from malaria account for up to 11 percent of maternal mortality (death of pregnant women up to six weeks after delivery), it is sad to note that 25 per cent deaths among children below one year, 30 percent of deaths among children under five years and 60 percent of all hospital presentations are recorded from malaria in Nigeria.
“These figures leave no one in any doubt as regards the previous challenge the disease poses to us in the country and our state.
‎”So, it is in the light of the foregoing, that the State Government, in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Health and Global Fund, has thought it fit to focus more on prevention of malaria than curing it. This is in line with an adage which says that prevention is better than cure”, Governor added.
Packaged by Bunmi Oladejo
