World Malaria Day 2024

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*Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Enugu State marks World Malaria Day, 2024.*

🌏🦟 *Malaria is a disease of Public Health Importance, the most prevalent parasitic infection in sub-Saharan Africa* which results in high morbidity and mortality especially amongst children under 5 and pregnant women, economic and social impact, premature death, reduced productivity and huge medical cost.

🌏🦟 *The WHO 2022 World Malaria Report alludes that Nigeria accounts for 31% of the global malaria deaths and 27% of global malaria cases.* One out of three (3) deaths from Malaria globally occur in Nigeria.

🌏🦟 *The endemicity of malaria in Nigeria is attributed to;* heavy pattern of rainfall with flooding in some areas, resistance of mosquitoes to the routine repellants, poor hygiene and sanitation, overcrowding, non-adherence to malaria treatment guidelines and the inequities in access to care.

🌏🦟 *It’s transmission is majorly* through Bites from infected female anopheles mosquito which occur from dusk to dawn, Accidental transmission via blood transfusion or needle prick injuries, Mother to Child transmission especially close to delivery and Animal to Man transmission from close interaction with Macaques monkeys.

🌏🦟 The Nigerian government and Partners instituted some efforts to eliminate malaria like; *Development of the National Malaria Strategies Plan (NMSP) which aims to reduce malaria mortality rate by less than 50 per 1000 births and the parasite prevalence by less than 10% by year 2025, Approval of the use of R-21 vaccine for country, National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) and the recently established Nigerian End Malaria Council (NEMC)* which are hampered by a lot challenges.

🌏🦟 *World Malaria Day is commemorated to create massive awareness and bring to lime light the malaria burden, efforts and progress made towards malaria control. It is also a day to mobilize support and renew commitments towards the fight against malaria.*

🌏🦟 *The theme, “Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable World” with the slogan – “Let’s change the narrative now”* is apt in view of the inequities in access to care, education, financial resources and gender inequalities that abound especially amongst children and pregnant women that further exacerbate malaria risks in these vulnerable groups.
*It’s also a clarion call for our health system to be adept not only in delivering quality malaria services but also to respond in an equity oriented, gender responsive and human rights- based manner hence addressing factors that hinder malaria elimination.*

📢📢 *We can change the narrative by implementing the following strategies:*

📍Use of Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets

📍 Indoor Residual Spraying

📍Larval Source Management

📍 Intermittent Preventive Therapy in pregnancy (IPTp)

📍 Intermittent Preventive Therapy in infancy (IPTi)

📍 Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC)

📍 Appropriate testing and treatment of malaria.

🚨 *Prevention is better and cheaper than cure. Let’s change the narrative ‼️*

Compiled by,
*Dr. Ifeoma Otiji*
Enugu State Program Coordinator,
State Malaria Elimination Program.

*Dr. Grace Bernard-Asadu*
Secretary, MWAN Enugu

*Dr. Chioma Odimegwu*
President, MWAN Enugu
2023 – 2025 Biennium