Ekiti adopts four approaches to fight malaria
Ekiti State government said it has adopted the 4-pronged approach contained in the National Malaria Elimination Strategy as part of efforts to rid the state of the life threatening tropical disease. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olurotimi Ojo who made this known in Ado Ekiti during the sensitization programmes organized as part of activities marking the […]
Ekiti State government said it has adopted the 4-pronged approach contained in the National Malaria Elimination Strategy as part of efforts to rid the state of the life threatening tropical disease.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olurotimi Ojo who made this known in Ado Ekiti during the sensitization programmes organized as part of activities marking the 2016 World Malaria Day, reiterated the commitment of the government to the drastic reduction of the current 25% prevalence rate of the disease in the state.
The state had postponed indefinitely this year’s World Malaria Day held on April 25, following the death of six top medical doctors from the state in a ghastly motor accident on their way to Sokoto to attend the Nigeria Medical Association Annual General Meeting.
The commissioner disclosed that available statistics indicated that malaria was responsible for over 650,000 deaths globally every year, adding that the state was particular about totally eliminating the disease among children under the age of 5 as well as pregnant women and nursing mothers in view of the fact that 30% of childhood deaths and 11% of maternal deaths are caused by malaria.
He listed the components of the 4-pronged approach to include preventive methods through the promotion or the use of Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets (LLITMN) and administering of Malaria Prevention drugs such as Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamin on pregnant women; proper diagnosis of all suspected cases through parasite based diagnosis; effective treatment through the use of quality assurance antimalaria medicine such as Artemisinin-based combination therapies as well as antenatal care with Health education.