. . . Could kill within 48 hours if left untreated
To achieve malaria elimination in Nigeria, Malaria Society of Nigeria and the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research ,Yaba, Lagos, have warned Nigerians against self medication in the treatment of malaria, revealing that it could kill within 48 hours if left untreated.
According to the two bodies during an awareness programme , self medication is very harmful and there are many dangers associated with it which many people do not know
of.
President of MSN, Dr. John Puddicombe, said the best way to treat malaria is to carry out a test , to ascertain the nature of the sickness rather than assume that every fever is malaria.
Puddicombe said people should always insist on tests to be carried out by experts before any diagnosis or treatment could be
given.
To reduce the number of deaths arising from malaria in Nigeria, Puddicombe called on governments at all levels to stop concentrating malaria sensitisation campaigns in the urban areas, stressing that the awareness needed to get more at the grassroots where malaria deaths were mostly recorded.
The World Malaria Report 2017, shows that malaria continues to claim a significant number of lives: in 2016, 445 000 people died from malaria globally, compared to 446 000 estimated deaths in
2015.
The report also shows that the African region continues to bear 90 per cent of malaria cases and 91% of malaria deaths worldwide with Nigeria accounting for 27 per cent of malaria cases and 24 per cent of malaria deaths globally in
2016.
For the MSN President, “Governments at all levels should take the awareness on dangers of malaria to the grassroots. The country is still experiencing higher death rate from malaria because awareness campaign has not been adequately taken to the grassroots. The burden of malaria is higher in the rural areas than in the cities but can be reduced through improved enlightenment campaigns.”
He also added: “Campaign should be reinforced on the distribution and use of insecticide treated nets: test before treatment and use of Artemisinin based Combination Therapy (ACT) for treating malaria.”
Still on the way forward, the medical expert said Nigeria can beat malaria by strengthening its environmental management, noting that keeping clean environment and eliminating mosquitoes breeding places would ensure low incidence of malaria.
He also recommended massive investment in malaria research, adding that government needed to put in more money into malaria research and stop depending on foreign donors for assistance.
The malaria expert also noted that NGOs in malaria control in the country should be encouraged and supported by government by incorporating them into its malaria control
programmes.
Also speaking, Acting Head of Malaria Research, NIMR, Dr. Oluwagbemiga Aina, who is also a member of MSN, said that there was the need to educate the people that malaria could kill within 48 hours, if not treated.
Aina advised the people to sleep under insecticide – treated nets, describing it as one of the most effective measures used for malaria prevention .
He also urged the people to always comply with the national policy on malaria that stipulates medical test before receiving treatment, adding that this will reduce unnecessary and irrational use of anti-malarial
drugs.
