Doctor Wants Aggressive Advocacy On Malaria Control

Dr Tolu Arowolo on Monday called for aggressive advocacy to persuade government to support and enunciate policies that will enhance malaria control.

Arowolo, the National Professional Officer(South West) of WHO, made the suggestion in an interview with newsmen on the commemoration of World Malaria Day.

April 25 was observed in remembrance of the global efforts towards the control and eradication of malaria.

The theme of this year is “Achieving Progress and Impact’’.

Arolowo said government should establish and ensure regulations to waive taxes and tariffs on importation of anti-malaria commodities such as Artemisinin based Combined Therapy (ACT), Long Lasting Insecticide-Treated Nets (LLIN), Rapid Diagnosis Test (RDT) and insecticides.

According to the World Health Organisation, Africa bears 85 percent of global malaria burden and Nigeria alone is responsible for 25 percent of the continental burden.

“Malaria is the leading cause of death in children under five years in Nigeria and also responsible for about 11 percent and 70 percent of deaths in pregnancy and maternal anaemia respectively,’’ she said.

She urged the media to contribute by providing correct and current information on malaria prevention and compliance to malaria treatment.

She said media practitioners were critical partners for dissemination of information on environmental cleanliness and hygiene as well as the correct use of LLINs.

Our correspondent reports that malaria issue in the Millennium Development Goals aims to fight malaria, AIDS and HIV and other related diseases.

Arowolo explained that WHO had recommended a ban on the importation, production and the prescription of artesiminin monotherapies such as Artesunate, for the management of uncomplicated malaria in Nigeria.

“ WHO did not recommend the use of lumefantrine but Artemether-Lumefantrine (AL) as a combination, among others, like Artesunate- Amodiaquine (AA).

“Both Artemether-Lumefantrine and Artesunate- Amodiaquine are the only recommended ACTs for use in Nigeria, according to the National Policy for Malaria diagnosis and Treatment.

“ Quinine is still recommended for the treatment of severe malaria,’’ she said.

Arowolo added that Chloroquine and Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine such as fansidar, amalar and others were no longer recommended in Nigeria for the treatment of malaria, but were still useful for the management of other conditions.