Malaria
By Douglas Okoro
Abakaliki, April 25, (NAN) A Consultant in Community Medicine, Dr Larry Ebubeagu, has advocated for more funding and sensitisation campaigns to effectively combat the malaria scourge in the country.
Ebubeagu, who works with the Federal Teaching Hospital (FETHA), Abakaliki, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.
He urged governments at all levels, including local and foreign donor agencies, to increase funding and sensitisation to enhance the treatment and management of malaria in Nigeria.
According to him, these measures will help to control and eradicate the disease which is said to be responsible for millions of deaths annually worldwide.
Ebubeagu urged the people to maintain clean environment and avoid stagnant waters, to prevent mosquitoes from breeding near their residences.
He noted that the theme for this year’s celebration, “Ready-To-Beat-Malaria”, was apt and urged governments at all levels to provide more money to fight malaria.
He said that available statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that about 3.4 billion people live in areas prone to malaria transmission in 91 countries and territories, Nigeria inclusive.
He underscored the importance of maintenance of a clean environment as being the surest way to prevent the disease, which is transmitted when one is bitten by an infected female anopheles mosquitoes.
“The disease is caused by plasmodium parasites; two of the parasite species that cause malaria in humans pose the greatest threat,’’ he said.
He noted that the disease had developed resistance to many drugs, stressing that more funding would engender research in the quest for the elimination of the disease.
“Latest report by WHO reveals an estimated 216 million malaria cases and 445,000 deaths with an estimated 91 per cent of deaths in 2016 occurring in the African Region.”
He stressed the need for increased sensitisation and awareness at the grassroots on the causes and prevention of malaria.
The expert advised people to always access medical care for malaria-related ailments.
He enjoined the Ebonyi Government to sustain the monthly environmental sanitation to maintain clean and safe environment. (NAN)
ODO/MOL/NKO
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Nkechi Okoronkwo