The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire has said the country was experiencing a decline in the prevalence rate of malaria as recorded in 2015 and 2018 respectively. despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health sector.
According to him, the prevalence rate dropped from 42% in 2010 to 27% in 2015 and 23% in 2018.
He expressed hope that there would be a downward trend of the virus when the results of the 2021 malaria indicator survey are released .
The minister spoke on Tuesday in Abuja during the commemoration of the 2022 World Malaria Day with the theme, ‘Advance Equity, Build Resilience. End Malaria,’
Ehanire said malaria being the oldest disease was being taken for granted explaining that it had continued to be one of the leading causes of death in Nigeria.
He said: “In the utilisation of insecticide treated nets among older five year old has increased from 43.4% in 2015 to 52% in 2018, while that among pregnant women increased from 49% to 58% in 2018. Fever feedback testing among children under five increased from 5% in 2010, to 11% in 2013 and 13% now in 2015 but this is still very low and calls for more efforts to address because not every fever is malaria.
“Nigeria also witnessed a reduction in malaria prevalence from 42% in 2010 to 27% in 2015 and 23% in 2018. That is a good downward trend that we hope will change and we expect that when the result of the 2021 malaria indicator survey is out, we will see a further downward trend in that respect.
“We shall continue to work to ensure that we achieve a parasite prevalence of less than 10% or reduce mortality attributable to malaria to less than 50 deaths per 1000 live births by the year 2025. That just three years from now and that’s a target we set out in the National Malaria strategic plan of 2021 to 2025.”
The Country Representative World Health Organisation Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo called on governments to focus on malaria and it’s devastating impact on families, communities and societal development.
He added that the role of innovation in the fight against malaria had become critical not only to reduce the disease burden globally, but also to save lives.
“It aligns with WHO’s call to urgently scale up innovation and the deployment of new tools in the fight against malaria, while advocating for equitable access to malaria prevention and treatment, within the context of building health system resilience.
“In recent times, there has been a growing political commitment at country, regional and international levels to tackle malaria, and has seen significant breakthroughs in malaria prevention and control, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Landmark recommendations on the use of the first vaccine against malaria – RTS,S – were released by WHO late last year. This vaccine will be used to prevent malaria among children aged six months to five years, who live in moderate- to high-transmission settings.”
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