By Fatima Saka
Minister of Environment Barr. Mohammed H. Abdullahi has revealed that malaria is a bigger threat to Nigeria, as it has recorded the world’s highest malaria with an annual reported case of 55 million and 207,000 deaths representing nearly 30% of the total malaria in Africa, with the estimate of 173 million Nigerians being affected. Abdullahi revealed this on Monday in Abuja while briefing the press, saying that the briefing is to commemorate the world mosquito day which took place on 20th of August this year.
The minister lamented that the rising cases of malaria has brought major constraints on the economy, with consequences confronting the workforce of the citizens.
Abdullahi decried that Nigerians lose a lot of money of about hundreds of billion naira worth, and that every infected person targets an average of 2000 Naira twice every year, also that several efforts have been made internationally, nationally and locally to combat the malaria scourge.Further he revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari has set up the Nigeria End Malaria Council, with a mandate to ensure successful implementation of the council program, which translates into 2 trillion savings Naira from the estimated economic value of a disease by 2030.The minister said that the ministry of Environment will embark on an emergency implementation to fight against malaria and other infectious diseases that are incurred on the environment, improvement of hygiene and Environmental sanitation for best preventive measures of malaria, specifically to approach individuals, family and community members.
“Make sure that they do not share materials in and around dwellings, regular cleaning and removal of waste materials essentially, they should endeavor to seek assistance from trained environmental health practitioners our best ways of handling mosquitoes.” We remain committed to a mandate of disease based and virtual management in Nigeria. Also trenching sustainable programs focused on eliminating and reducing prison avenues for diseases which are both fostering collaboration with stakeholders and the goodness of nationals development madness rendered by ministries, departments and agencies, society.
“And this course will not be accomplished without support and collaboration with the private sector, to engage meaningfully professional associations, also partnership with a pest control Nigerian woman afloat for the benefit of Nigerians additionally, mosquito control using professional registered companies are environmental health,” he stated.
In his remarks, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagle Ehanire, who was represented by Dr Perpetual Uhomoibhi, National Coordinator’ Malaria elimination programme said that the Ministry of Health remains committed to the health and well being of Nigerians.
“Will continue to strive towards a malaria-free Nigeria using a multi-pronged and multi-sectoral approach to drive down the prevalence of malaria and other vector borne diseases in Nigeria.”We call on the general public to support these malaria elimination efforts. noting that a large part of the implicating factors rests on human behaviour and attitudinal change. Simple actions like keeping our immediate environment clean, ridding our surroundings of refuse and unwanted receptacles, screening out windows and doors and sleeping inside insecticide-treated bednets every night will go a long way in curbing the malaria menace as well as other mosquito-borne diseases,” Dr. Ehanire.
He further commended the partners in the fight against malaria and other vector borne diseases, following; the Global Fund, US President’s Malaria Initiative, philanthropic organisations, the private sector organisations, other line MDAs such as the NPHCDA, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Science and Technology and many others for the collaboration and supports being received at different levels in this elimination efforts.
