Malaria: NGO advises against use of unprescribed medicine

By Oluwafunke Ishola

An NGO, Children Emergency Relief Foundation (CERF), has advised the public against use of unprescribed medicines and herbal remedies to treat malaria.

Mrs Abosede Oyeleye, Executive Director, CERF, gave the advice during a medical outreach in commemoration of World Malaria Day on Thursday in Ikorodu ,Lagos State.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)reports that World Malaria Day is celebrated annually on April 25 .

The theme of the 2023 celebration was “Time to Deliver Zero Malaria: Invest, Innovate, Implement”.

Malaria is a life-threatening disease spread to humans by female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is mostly found in tropical countries.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 247 million cases of malaria were reported in 2021, from which 619,000 people died while 96 per cent of the fatalities lived in Africa.

WHO ,in a report, said that more than 66 million cases of malaria occur annually in Nigeria, while one out of three deaths from malaria globally occur in Nigeria.

The health agency said that about 200,000 deaths from malaria occurred in Nigeria in 2021, which translates to Nigeria contributing 27 per cent to the global malaria mortality in 2021.

Oyeleye said that self-medication, poor health seeking behaviour and drinking of different herbal concoctions was exacerbating morbidity and mortality among citizens.

According to her, this has contributed to drug resistance, which lengthens treatment days or lead to malaria complications.

“The rate of poverty and illiteracy in Ikorodu community is high, that is why ‘Agbo’ (herbal concoctions) is the first thing people think about to use to treat malaria.

“Many people buy these concoctions from road-side sellers who mix all sorts of things, including alcohol to treat malaria. Instead of getting better, it gets worse and make medical treatment difficult.

“For over 15 years, CERF has been at the forefront of making people in communities know that they have to handle their health better and bring this support to their doorstep.

“Malaria is not a disease that should be downplayed. We need to educate more people on its dangers, proper treatment and collaborate toward eliminating it.

“Government cannot do it all. We all have a role to play, that’s why we are trying to sensitise the public about it,” she said.

She said that owing to ignorance among parents, many children are unable to access proper malaria treatment, leading to high child morbidity and mortality in the community.

Oyeleye said that concerted efforts to raise awareness, reduce malaria transmission, a better understanding of the parasite and control measures, was crucial to achieving the 2030 global malaria elimination target.

NAN reports that the medical outreach organised by CERF, in partnership with Fidson Healthcare Plc, was held at Ita-Elewa Primary Healthcare Centre, Ikorodu.

The programme ,which impacted no fewer than 300 residents of Ikorodu ,featured free screening for malaria, HIV, blood sugar, blood pressure and medical consultation.

The outreach also offered attendees free insecticide-treated nets and medicines.

(NAN)