As the world celebrates the World Malaria Day on Wednesday, the Lagos State Government has advised the citizenry to take appropriate actions through what it called Behavioural Change Community activities in order to help the sustenance of the gains made so far in the malaria eradication efforts of the state government.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who made the appeal in Lagos on Tuesday at a news conference to commemorate this year World Malaria Day celebration in the state, noted that government’s huge investment in malaria control over the years has demonstated that reduction in malaria morbidity and mortality can be achieved and sustained towards near zero deaths by 2015.
Idris reiterated government’s pledge to continue to improve upon all its activities and to ensure that only scientifically proven interventions are utilised in combating the disease.
He pointed out that the most vulnerable groups are the under five children and pregnant women and as a result the devastating health and socioeconomic consequence of this scourge remains a matter of great concern to the government.
Idris opined that government has opted for a holistic approach to combat this disease, hence it has adopted measures ranging from Integrated Vector Management, advocacy, environmental, diagnostic to clinical management mechanisms, adding that preventive measures such as the use of Long Lasting Insecticide Nets, Indoor Residual spraying and larviciding have also been put in place to combat malaria.
Idris explained that over 4.1 million LLINs have been distributed to communities through integration into existing services with the distribution of nets to pregnant women who booked for antenatal care in public health facilities in the state.
He said: “The Indoor Residual Spraying of long-lasting chemical insecticides on the walls and roofs of houses for the effect of curtailling malaria transmission is being implemented in six LGAs namely Ojo, Ikorodu, Badagry, Amuwo-Odofin, Kosofe and Ibeju-Lekki LGAs. This has been extended to 16 local council development areas and 48 wards.”
The commissioner said that a total of 334,769 rooms have been sprayed in these LGAs with an estimated population of 3,570,113 being protected, adding that larviciding activities have also been implemented in Kosofe, Ikosi Isheri and Agboyi Ketu local council development areas, which covers over 544 hectares of land with 934,614 estimated numbers of people being secured.
Idris stressed the efforts of other line ministries such as the Environment, Education and Physical Planning in the fight against malaria, adding that such efforts include canal dredging and effective waste management to ensure clean environment, provision of free manuals on information and the demolition of structures obstructing the flow of canals and drains, thereby preventing the breeding of malaria parasites.
He urged residents of the state to ensure a clean environment, refer malaria patients to hospital promptly, as well as the use of preventive measures, which cannot be over emphasised in order to win the war against malaria.