NMEP Distributes Over 17 Million ITNs in Six states

By Lazarus Zakaa, Abuja

The Coordinator, National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), says, over 17 million insecticide treated nets ITNs have been distributed in six states of the federation.

The Coordinator who gave the hints during the organisation 2nd Bia-Annual media chat on Wednesday in Abuja, also said that, for Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) a preventive measure targeting children between 3 and 59 months of age within the Sahel
region, covering all the 9 state that had been planned to reach.

The 9 States targeted were: Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara.

Dr. Audu Bala Mohammed, represent by Dr Perpetual Uhomoibhi, he explained that almost thirteen (13) million eligible children were reached. With respect to malaria case management available records from the district health information system (DHIS) showed a monthly average of 2,241,653 fever cases that reported at the health facilities nationally, of which 1,988,254 (88%) were tested.

According to him, of the tested cases, 1,468,110 cases were positive and 1,447,233 (99%) of these were treated with anti-malarials.

“Correspondingly, in 2019 the records indicated a monthly national average of 2,337,794 fever cases that reported at the health facilities of which 2,117,783
(91%) were tested, and of the 1,645,770 that were positive 1,543,789 (94%) were treated
with anti-malarials, which represented a slightly higher number of fever and malaria cases seen in 2019 compared to 2020.

“These figures and additional information that will be provided during this media chat therefore indicate that while we may not have attained our goals we have sustained interventions at very significant levels given the disruptions from the pandemic.

“These could not have been possible if not, among other things, for the support and commitment of the Roll-Back Malaria (RBM) partnership in Nigeria, the political and financial support by the governments at various levels, the awareness sustained by efforts of the media together with other channels, and the Nigerian populace that chose deliberately to prioritize their health especially when it comes to tackling malaria”. He said.

Dr. Bala however listed several challenges confronting them, amongst which were stigmatization and fear that tended to hinder individuals from attending health facilities.

“Abiding by preventive guidelines motorists decreased number of passengers and increased the transport fares further alienating some who could not afford the charges.

“Health workers required
additional resources to protect themselves from COVID-19, and where these were not adequate they had to limit access to patients especially at the height of the pandemic.

“The lock-down, while it lasted, further compounded access to interventions. Supplies of
commodities suffered severe disruptions with several health facilities experiencing stock-outs for relatively long times.

He noted that, studies have shown that this reduces child mortality
from all causes by 17% compared to no nets. In addition, in areas of stable malaria transmission like Nigeria, consistent and correct use of ITNs reduced parasite prevalence by 13%, uncomplicated malaria episodes by 50%, and severe malaria by 45% compared
to equivalent populations with no nets (NDHS, 2018).

“As we approach the end of this year, the National Malaria Elimination Programme
together with the entire RBM partnership in the country wish to express our deepest appreciation to each and every one of you and the media organizations you represent for your collaboration in the fight against malaria.

In a paper presentation “Delivering malaria intervention in the context of Covi-19: How NMEP has Fared”, delivered by the Technical Director, National Malaria Elimination Programme, NMEP, Prof. Olugbenga Makuolu, said, Nigeria accounts for 25% Global Malaria burden, with 19% Global death.

The Technical Director also said that, Nigerian record about 53 million annual malaria cases, with annual death of 81, 640. With also 23% of the cases been children from 6-59 months old.

He stressed that NMEP will continue to increased community service provider especially in the IDP camps. And also maintained services in all health facilities, developing an instrumental video on malaria one of such step he said is to provide e-maleria.