JUMADAL ULA 4 1430 A.H.
THURSDAY APRIL, 30 2009
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Africa loses 12bn to malaria annually -Nashabaru
From ISMAILA MUHAMMAD, Dutse
The Jigawa state commissioner for health and social welfare, Dr. Ibrahim Muhammad Nashabaru has said that malaria disease affects more than 350 million people globally with more than one million cases every year.
He made the assertion, Tuesday, in a speech he delivered on the occasion of the opening ceremony of the World Malaria Day held at the state library compound in Dutse.
He said that African nations economically, lose more than 12 billion US dollars annually, due to malaria effect with more than 80 per cent of the loans in sub-Saharan Africa, pointing out that Nigeria loses N182 billion annually due to the epidemic.
Dr. Nashabaru added that in Nigeria, everybody experiences one to two attacks of malaria on the average per year, stating further that in Jigawa state, one out every three deaths in children less than five years, is caused by malaria.
According to him, as part of its efforts towards malaria control, training in case management and vector control of strategies to various cadres of staff, procurement for indoor residential spraying, distribution of 247,000 insecticide treated nets in 12 local government areas representing 42 per cent of the population of the state.
Others the commissioner disclosed, include distribution of 396,520 doses of anti-malaria drugs free of charge to more than 500 health facilities in the state, including 171,000 doses of Fansider for pregnant women and the training of malaria programme staff in modern method of household spraying (IRS), in accordance with WHO standard. He added further that already, resources have been deployed to Birniwa local government area for transferring South Africa’s technology in the spraying exercise.
Dr. Nashabaru said the rest were, training and retraining of doctors, laboratory scientists and nurses in malaria diagnosis and treatment, adding that currently, about 700,000 bed nets were in the store for free distribution to each household such that the set target of at least two nets per household, is achieved in the state.
The commissioner stated further that the state government is continuously looking for ways to source additional resources for fight against malaria both within and outside the country.
In his response, the state malaria control project coordinator, Dr. Kabir Ibrahim of the state ministry of health, said no amount of money will be spent that could address the menace of malaria, provided people would not keep their environment clean.
He said that 55 per cent of Jigawa people do not attend hospitals at the initial infection symptoms of malaria, unless it becomes a referral case, adding that 20 per cent of total earnings of each household in the state, go for the treatment of malaria.
Dr. Ibrahim disclosed that 1,800 women have been selected to be trained on how to handle malaria cases.
