‘Rivers Among Best States In Malaria Control’

As the world commemorates another World Malaria Day (WMD) tomorrow, attention is once again drawn to considerations of how far states, regions, and countries have fared in the fight against malaria.
Globally, according to Fact Sheet of the Economic Section of the United States Embassy in Nigeria, malaria affects 3.3 billion people, or half of the world’s population, in 106 countries and territories. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates also show that 216 million cases of malaria occurred in 2010, with 81% in the African region.
WHO further estimates that there were 655,000 malaria deaths in 2010, with 91% of it occurring in Africa, and 86% of which were children under 5 years of age. The body also noted that malaria is the 3rd leading cause of death for children under-five years worldwide, after pneumonia and diarrhea disease.
The Economic Section of the United States Embassy in Nigeria also stated that thirty countries in Sub-Saharan Africa account for 90% of global malaria deaths, with Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia and Uganda accounting for nearly 50% of the global malaria deaths.
Meanwhile, the Fact Sheet noted that malaria is the 2nd leading cause of death from infectious diseases in Africa, after HIV/AIDS and that about 1 out of 5 deaths of children under 5 in Africa are due to malaria.
In Nigeria, according to the Fact Sheet, malaria is a major public health problem and accounts for more cases and deaths than any other country in the world. About 97% of the country’s population is said to be at risk of contacting malaria.
Again, there are an estimated 100 million malaria cases with over 300,000 deaths per year in Nigeria. This is over the estimated 215,000 HIV/AIDS-related deaths per year in the country.
Malaria contributes to an estimated 11% of maternal mortality and accounts for 60% of outpatient visits and 30% of hospitalizations among children under five years of age in Nigeria.
The ailment is said to have the greatest prevalence, with close to 50% in children age 6-59 months in the South West, North Central, and North West regions, while it has the least prevalence (27.6) in children age 6 to 59 months in the South East region.
It is noteworthy that the government at various levels in Nigeria, in collaboration with various implementing partners, have done much in malaria control. In spite of these however, noticeable challenges and gaps still exist.
Such challenges and gaps include poverty being a major factor in malaria prevention and treatment, and that an estimated 65% of Nigeria’s population lives in poverty. Added to this, vector control is highly dependent on pyrethroids, a single class of insecticides, resistance to which has been reported in 27 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria.
Quoting the World Malaria Report of November 2018, the Programme Manager, Rivers State Malaria Elimination Programme, Dr. Mina Jaja said 219 million cases of malaria still occur globally. Out of this, she said, five countries accounted for half of all malaria cases.
“Of these five countries, Nigeria accounted for 25%. So you know what that means. It’s still a course for concern for us in the country”, she said.
In the midst of these realities, Dr. Jaja said, Rivers State has managed to be among the top states known to have performed outstandingly in malaria control since the last WMD in 2018.
“Thankfully, in Rivers State, the prevalence is 7.3% as against the national prevalence of 27%. So, in every sense of modesty, Rivers State ranks among the five best states in malaria control”.
She credits this development to partly the commitment of the state Governor, Nyesom Wike, who, she said, as the Grand Ambassador for Malaria Elimination in the state, “has given us a political platform and stability in the political terrain that has made battling the malaria scourge a little bit easier for us”.
One key contribution of the governor, she hinted, is the renovation and equipment of several health care facilities.
“The renovation and equipping of several secondary health care facilities made it easy for people to access health care. You know, for malaria, you must test before you treat, and you will test when there are facilities where you can go and test. The more facilities you can walk in and test, the better”.
She also credited the efforts of other partners, which include WHO, Shell Petroleum, Development Company (SPDC), and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG).
From their contributions, she hinted, “there have been a massive scale-up in the various intervention strategies to reduce the burden of malaria (in the state)”, she said.
The peculiarity of the 2019 WAD, Dr. Jaja, explained, is its global theme, “Zero malaria starts with me”, which is further individualised to “Zero malaria starts with me, Join Me” in Nigeria.
“This is individualizing the World Malaria Day, individualizing zero malaria. It emphasises citizen participation. It’s not about moving the buck to the government. It’s about you. So, what are you, as a person, going to do to attain zero malaria?
The WMD was established in May 2007 by the 60th session of the World Health Assembly, which is WHO’s decision-making body. The day was established to provide “education and understanding of malaria” and spread information on “year-long intensified implementation of national malaria-control strategies, including community-based activities for malaria prevention and treatment in endemic areas.”
Before the establishment of WMD, Africa Malaria Day (AMD) was held on April 25. It began in 2001, one year after the historic ”Abuja Declaration” was signed by 44 malaria-endemic countries at the African Summit on Malaria.
WMD allows for corporations, multinational organisations, and grassroots organisations globally to work together to bring awareness to malaria and advocate for policy changes, with each commemoration focusing on a specific theme.
The theme for 2018 was “Ready to beat malaria”, that for 2016 – 2017 was “End Malaria for Good”, while it was “Invest in the future: defeat malaria” in 2013-2014-2015.
Others were: “Sustain Gains, Save Lives: Invest in Malaria” (2012); “Achieving Progress and Impact” (2011); “Counting malaria out” (2009 – 2010); and “Malaria: a disease without borders” (2008).
Events marking the commemoration of the 2019 WMD in Rivers State commenced last Friday with a Jumat service at the Central Mosque, Victoria Street, Port Harcourt. It was followed by LLIN demonstration at Seventh Day Adventist Church, Mile Three, Port Harcourt.
Highlight of tomorrow’s commemoration, which will be the grand finale, will free malaria screening for civil servants and the public at the state Secretariat Complex and massive distribution of LLINs at the venue.

Sogbeba Dokubo