Malaria: Implement preventive measures beyond nets, experts urge govt

The Pest Control Association of Nigeria (PECAN) has called on government bodies and public health stakeholders to adopt comprehensive measures against malaria, going beyond the distribution of treated mosquito nets. Mr Terungwa Abari, the Chairman of PECAN in the FCT, made the appeal during the World Mosquito Day commemoration in Abuja on Tuesday. He highlighted […]

The Pest Control Association of Nigeria (PECAN) has called on government bodies and public health stakeholders to adopt comprehensive measures against malaria, going beyond the distribution of treated mosquito nets.

Mr Terungwa Abari, the Chairman of PECAN in the FCT, made the appeal during the World Mosquito Day commemoration in Abuja on Tuesday.

He highlighted the significance of the day, which honours Sir Ronald Ross’ 1897 discovery that anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria, to raise awareness about mosquito-borne diseases and their impact on global health.

Citing the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) 2022 Report, Abari, who is also PECAN’s national vice chairman, said that malaria remained a severe public health issue in Nigeria, with approximately 68 million cases and 194,000 deaths reported in 2021.

He pointed out that Nigeria bore nearly 27 per cent of the global malaria burden, with transmission risk persisting throughout the year, particularly high in the Northern region of the country.

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Abari stressed that mosquitoes were responsible for various diseases, including dengue, West Nile virus, yellow fever, Zika and chikungunya.

He further said, “According to the Atlanta-based Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, malaria alone claimed over 600,000 lives in 2022. This stark statistics underscores the ongoing challenges in eradicating this preventable disease.”

He emphasised this year’s World Mosquito Day’s theme: “Accelerating the Fight Against Malaria for a More Equitable World”, which focuses on addressing gaps in malaria prevention, detection and treatment. Abari urged all stakeholders, including government agencies, health organisations, environmental health practitioners, international donors, NGOs, media and community groups, to collaborate on multi-faceted approaches to combat malaria.

PECAN Abuja also called for intensified efforts in mosquito control, emphasising that while diagnosis, treatment and vaccine development were crucial, greater emphasis must be placed on controlling mosquito populations.

Abari, therefore, advocated sustainable practices and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approaches which combined cultural practices, biological control, habitat management, technological innovations and community participation.

He stressed the importance of engaging only licensed and certified professionals in mosquito control to ensure safety and efficacy, warning against the risks posed by unqualified individuals.

Daily Trust further reports that PECAN’s members conducted a clean-up of the Jahi 2 area in Abuja, performed controlled fumigation and distributed over 50 mosquito nets to residents.

Fatima Suleyman, an environmental health officer who represented Dr Yakubu Baba, Registrar of the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria, emphasised the critical role of health education in combating malaria, particularly in rural communities where knowledge about mosquito-borne diseases was often lacking.

Chief Salihu Adamu of Jahi 2 thanked PECAN for their intervention, noting that the support would significantly aid the community’s effort to combat malaria.