Follow Us on Google
Malaria is a disease that has continued to ravage many parts of the world, especially Africa. Nigeria is the worst hit and has remained the number one malaria-infested country in the world. Efforts to eradicate it have not yielded much dividend. But, with new technology and vaccines, there is hope that the disease may be totally eradicated with time.
Female Anopheles mosquitoes are the major vectors of malaria. They transmit the disease to humans. These mosquitoes breed where there is stagnant water, dirty and moisture-rich environment and blocked drainage system. Nigeria’s large population also encourages the breeding of mosquitoes because more people mean more pressure on sanitation services.
Symptoms of the disease include high fever and flu-like illness. These could lead to absence in schools and workplaces or even death. Globally, about 3.3 billion people in 106 countries risk the scourge of malaria. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 95 per cent of all malaria cases are in African region.
In 2021, there were 247 million new cases of malaria in the world. In the same year, about 619,000 malaria deaths were recorded. According to the WHO, out of 29 countries that accounted for 96 per cent of malaria cases globally in 2021, four countries – Nigeria (27 per cent), the Democratic Republic of Congo (12 per cent), Uganda (5 per cent) and Mozambique (4 per cent) – accounted for almost half of all cases. Also, out of about 96 per cent of malaria deaths in 29 countries, four African countries accounted for over half of the deaths in 2021. The countries are: Nigeria (31 per cent), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (13 per cent), the Niger Republic (4 per cent), and the United Republic of Tanzania (4 per cent).
On the occasion of this year’s World Malaria Day, marked on April 25, 2023, the WHO noted that it focused on raising awareness about the need to implement the tools and strategies available today to reach those who continue to be unreached across the Western Pacific, which faces challenges on the road to malaria elimination. According to the WHO, part of the challenges in the region include reaching remote populations in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, preventing relapse of vivax malaria through compliant full-course treatment and halting transmission of knowlesi zoonotic malaria in Malaysia.
These notwithstanding, malaria deaths are said to have decreased 88 per cent in the region in the past 20 years. Malaysia reportedly achieved zero cases of human malaria for the fourth year in a row while China was certified malaria-free by the WHO in 2021. Even Mauritius and Algeria were certified malaria-free in 1973 and 2019 respectively. The theme for the World Malaria Day 2023 was: “Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate and implement.” For us in Nigeria, the road to achieving this zero malaria is still very far. According to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the economic burden of malaria in Nigeria for 2022 was about $1.6 billion. He said this might increase to about $2.8 billion by 2030.
The best way to eradicate the disease is to keep our environment clean. We must clean our gutters, cut down the grass within our surroundings and kill the Anopheles mosquitoes that transmit the disease. Use of Insecticide treated nets should be encouraged.People should avoid self medication as well. Granted, not many people can afford the cost of malaria drugs. But, efforts must be made to seek medical advice and treatment of malaria to avoid complications.
This is why it is important that government should subsidize the treatment of the disease to make it affordable to poor citizens. That was partly what Algeria did that made it a malaria-free country today. Government should also make available the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) where indigent citizens could go for treatment. It should also think of vector control and consider making treatment of malaria free for all children in public hospitals. In all these, government should partner with private entities. This will go a long way in reducing the malaria burden in Nigeria.
The reported provisional approval granted the Oxford University’s R21 Malaria Vaccine is a step in the right direction. The vaccine is said to be efficacious especially on children from five months to 36 months old and reduces the frequency of severe malaria. Efforts should be made to begin the use of the vaccine as soon as possible.
We commend Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which recently published a white paper outlining actions that must be taken by governments, vaccine manufacturers and health agencies to meet the goal of supplying this world’s first effective malaria vaccine. According to Gavi, an estimated 40-60 million doses will be needed by 2026 alone. This is estimated to grow to 80-100 million doses needed each year by 2030. To achieve this, Gavi recommends that countries and partners should work together in key areas such as demand forecasting, boosting the number of suppliers and technology transfer.
