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By Charles Nwaoguji
In this period of lockdown occasioned by the ravaging COVID-19 infection, the Nigerian Medical Association advises all households to use this opportunity to clear out drains and bushes around their homes, while urging them to continue to sleep under insecticide treated nets and observe all precautionary measures to protect them from the bites of mosquitoes.
The National President of NMA, Dr. Francis A. Faduyile urges Nigerians at the phase of community transmission of COVD-19, to as much as possible avoid self-medication but rather report to health care facilities as Malaria and COVID-19 share similar symptoms.
Faduyile, who stated that the world Malaria Day is observed on April 25 each year to raise awareness of the global burden of Malaria, a preventable and treatable arthropod transmitted disease that puts half of the world at risk and kills a child every two minutes. The Global theme for World Malaria Day 2020 is “ZERO MALARIA STARTS WITH ME”. The theme underscores the role everyone has to play in ending the scourge.
He noted that unlike COVID-19 that has affected almost the whole world; malaria’s endemicity in Nigeria and other tropical counties is associated with poverty and inequity, with the most vulnerable at greatest risk of dying.
“This therefore makes it imperative for extra efforts to ensure that whatever economic palliatives distributed targets the very poor and vulnerable in the society,” he said.
He called on governments at all levels not to de-prioritise the programs and activities aimed at ultimately eradicating malaria but deplore more resources towards a malaria free Nigeria.
