Malaria Day: Physician harps on drugs resistance

Malaria Day: Physician harps on drugs resistance
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Anti-malaria
Abuja, April 25, 2018 (NAN) Dr Femi Onasanya, a general physician with an Abuja based hospital, on Wednesday advised Nigerians to consult their doctors because of recurring cases of anti-malaria drug resistance.
Onasanya gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja to commemorate the 2018 World Malaria Day.
According to him, resistance of P.Falciparum to previous generations of medicines, such as chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), became widespread in the 1950s and 1960s, undermining malaria control efforts and reversing gains in child survival.
“Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is preventable and curable.
“Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites. The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, called malaria vectors.”
He said P.Falciparum was the most prevalent malaria parasite on the African continent, saying it is responsible for most malaria-related deaths globally.
Onasanya said malaria was an acute febrile illness, saying in a non-immune individual symptoms usually appear 10 to 15 days after the infective mosquito bite.
He said the first symptoms are fever, headache and chills, which may be mild and difficult to recognise as malaria, adding that if not treated within 24 hours, P.Falciparum malaria can progress to severe illness, often leading to death.
“Children with severe malaria frequently develop severe anaemia, respiratory distress in relation to metabolic acidosis, or cerebral malaria.
“In adults, multi-organ involvement is also frequent. In malaria endemic areas, people may develop partial immunity, allowing asymptomatic infections to occur,’’ he said.
Onasanya said vector control was the main way to prevent and reduce malaria transmission.
He said WHO recommends protection for all people at risk of malaria with effective malaria vector control.
“Two forms of vector control; insecticide-treated mosquito nets and indoor residual spraying, are effective in a wide range of circumstances,’’ he said.
Onasanya said Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) with insecticides was a powerful way to rapidly reduce malaria transmission, adding that indoor spraying is effective for three to six months, depending on the insecticide formulation used and the type of surface on which it is sprayed.
The medical expert however said early diagnosis and treatment of malaria reduces disease and prevents deaths, adding that it also contributes to reducing malaria transmission.
He said the best available treatment, particularly for P.Falciparum malaria, is Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT).
Onansanya advised Nigerians to always consult a doctor when they have any symptom and they should avoid self medication.
NAN reports that the theme for this year’s World Malaria Day is “Ready to beat malaria”.
The theme underscores the collective energy and commitment of the global malaria community in uniting around the common goal of a world free of malaria. (NAN)
OEO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola