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Nigeria: 'We'll Win the Battle Against Malaria'

Taiwo Olawale

5 May 2008

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Dutse — Dr Kabir Ibrahim, Project Manager, World Bank assisted Malaria Control and Booster Project (MCBP), in Jigawa State, has said the state government, in collaboration with national and international agencies, is determined to win the battle against malaria in the next two years.

Ibrahim said this while speaking on efforts of the MCBP and the state government in the fight against malaria.

He said the recent Malaria Day celebration across the globe was a time for sober reflection on the economic and health hazards posed by the disease, adding that "two children die from malaria every minute across the world, in Sub-Saharan countries."

He said malaria was responsible for 29 per cent of child mortality in the state, while "the disease also accounts for 11 per cent of maternal mortality in the state, as pregnant women are especially susceptible to malaria attacks," he said.

Ibrahim commended the state government's efforts at eradicating malaria and expressed optimism that "in the next two years, malaria will be a thing of the past in the state."

He said government's efforts in the rural areas are especially commendable and listed some of the measures taken to include, procurement of manual and motorised sprayers and distribution of 247,000 Insecticide Treated Nets in 12 local governments.

Others are 396,520 doses of anti-malaria drugs free of charge to more than 500 health facilities in the state, including 171,000 doses of Fansidar for pregnant women.

With these measures and the re-training of doctors, laboratory scientists and nurses in malaria diagnosis and treatment, he expressed optimism that the state would make malaria a disease of less public significance in the next year or two.

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