By Prudence Ijah, Abuja.
The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2018 indicates a reduction in the malaria prevalence rate from 42% to 23%, along with a 38% reduction in mortality.
According to the NDHS 2018 survey, key progress indicators such as net use, uptake of intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy by pregnant women, health seeking behavior during fever, and use of the appropriate anti-malarial are improving.
The survey however adds that a lot still needs to improve, as most of the targets set out in the current malaria strategic plan is yet to be achieved. And with the COVID-19 pandemic, the malaria challenge seems to be compounded.
At the first Bi-Annual Media chat for this year on Tuesday in Abuja, the National Malaria elimination Programme’s (NMEP) National coordinator, Dr. Audu Bala Mohammed, speaking on the theme; “Sustaining and improving access to malaria interventions while dealing with COVID19 related stigma and fear, revealed outcomes of the survey by the global funds.
According to the survey, several disruptions to insecticide – treated net campaigns and access to antimalaria medicines could lead to doubling in the number of malaria deaths in sub – Saharan Africa by the end of 2020 compared to the year 2018.
He said, “With the onset of the current COVID-19 pandemic the malaria challenge seems to be compounded.
” Outcomes of a recent survey by Global Funds indicated that malaria and a few other key services are being seriously disrupted on account of countries’ and their health systems’ response to the pandemic.
” The results highlighted several cancelled or delayed prevention activities. The Global Funds noted that activities are being canceled due to: lockdowns, restrictions on gatherings of people, Transport stoppages, COVID-19 related stigma, Reluctance of health workers to attend to people suspected of having TB or malaria – which have many of the same initial symptoms as COVID-19 and patients not seeking health services as usual
“Recent projections suggest that where most prevention activities are cancelled or delayed, and malaria services like insecticide-treated net campaigns and access to antimalarial medicines experience severe disruption the malaria deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa could double by the end of the year.
It is imperative that Nigeria and other malaria-endemic countries minimize any disruptions of malaria prevention and treatment during the COVID-19 response given that failure to do so could lead to loss of lives.
Dr Mohammed hinted that the programme intends to improve access to and use of insecticide treated nets through targeted campaigns that are adapted to protect health workers and communities from COVID-19. We also intend to continue case management of malaria, including prompt diagnostic testing and treatment, delivered safely and appropriately.
He added that the National Malaria Elimination Programme has developed and is implementing a business continuity plan for the rest of this year, by prioritizing interventions, streamlining campaign activities (for both Long Last Insecticidal Nets and Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention), and developing appropriate messaging including risk communication based on the evolving pandemic.
Dr Mohammed advocated for an improvement in preventive measures which includes sleeping under ITNs, the use of screens on doors and windows, the uptake of IPTp by pregnant women and the use of preventive medicine for children below five years.
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