Dr Victor Fayomi, a general practitioner with a private hospital in Gwagalada, has said that political goodwill and public-private partnership should be strengthened to end malaria for good.
Fayomi made this remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja as a contribution to mark the World Malaria Day.
This year’s theme for the World Malaria Day is ‘End Malaria for Good’ .
He said the Day was a wake-up call towards funding education and research, vaccine development and other preventive measures, adequate diagnosis and prompt treatment of malaria.
“We all have a role to play. We are gradually welcoming the rainy season, which favours breeding of mosquitoes; our environment must always be clean.
“There is the need to ensure that there are no stagnant water and bushes in order to prevent the pandemic while the campaign for the provision of free insecticide treated mosquito nets is also key.
“So we pray this vaccine brings the fight to end malaria to a final bus stop. With this, Nigeria and other tropical countries can heave a sigh of relief as the world will eventually end malaria for good,” he said.
Fayomi said the malaria vaccine just launched by WHO is used for children under two years in Malawi, which is one of the three African countries for the pilot programme.
He said Ghana and Kenya were among the two countries to benefit from the programme in few weeks.
“Malaria is a predominantly tropical disease caused by the bite of female anopheles mosquito infected with the parasite called plasmodium.
“It is a disease of public health importance because of its impact on the health and socioeconomic status of the countries it is prevalent; Nigeria has a great share of this burden,” Fayomi said.
She said malaria could be classified as either uncomplicated or severe, depending on the clinical and laboratory parameters affecting individual patients across all age groups.
Fayomi said malaria symptoms ranged from fever, headache, chills, body and or joint pains, nausea and vomiting, poor appetite to even dizziness, fainting and unconsciousness.
According to him, children and pregnant women are mostly affected by malaria.
NAN reports that April 25 is set aside to mark the world’s efforts in raising awareness for the prevention, treatment and funding of malaria. (NAN)
