Malaria As A Significant Public Health Challenge -By Adjekpovu Victory

Malaria remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria ,with the world Health Organization (WHO) reports over 2.5million confirmed cases in 2022 alone .The disease caused by a parasite that is transmitted through mosquito bite, can be debilitating and even deadly.

Despite significant effort to combat the disease, including the distribution of insecticide _treated bed.  net and antimalarial drugs, malaria continue to be  a Significant burden on the health care system in Nigeria.

Several factors contribute to the high prevalence of malaria in Nigeria ,some of the factors that contribute to the high prevalence of malaria in Nigeria are poor access to health care ,in which people in Nigeria lack access to quality health care, including timely diagnosis and treatment of malaria ,this particularly acute in rural areas, where health care facilities may be few and far between.

Climate and geography, is a lot San other factor, in which Nigeria’s climate with its warm and humid conditions, provide ideal breathing grounds for mosquitoes that transmit malaria. In addition, the country’s river, lake and swamps further contributes to the spread of the disease.

Malaria has had devastating effects on the people of Nigeria, not only in terms of mortality but also in terms of economic and social impact. The disease not only affects the individual but also has a ripple effect on families and communities.

Malaria tends to be a major cause of illness and death, especially to WHO, approximately 250,000 people die from malaria  every year in Nigeria ,accounting for nearly a quarter of global malaria deaths. The economic burden of malaria is enormous, malaria not only impacts the health and well being of individual, but also disrupts the functioning of society as a whole.

Furthermore, Education is also one of the key factors that contribute to the high prevalence, when children are sick with malaria, they are unable to attend school ,which can lead to poor educational outcome and limited  opportunities in the future. Adults who are I’ll with malaria are unable to work, leading a lost productivity and reduced economic output. This can have significant impact on the overall economic development of Nigeria.

Effort to combat malaria in Nigeria are ongoing ,with the government and international organization collaborating to develop and implement various strategies, some of the efforts includes insecticide treated bed nets, in which the distribution of bed nets treated with insecticide is an effective method of preventing malaria transmission .

However ,challenges in distribution and compliance remains ,spraying insecticide on the wall and celling  of homes can help to kill mosquitoes before they can bite people, this particularly effective in areas with high mosquitoes to density. Antimalarial drugs are an important part of malaria treatment, but resistance to common medication is becoming a problem. The WHO recommends using ante is in in based combination therapies ACTs as first line treatment for malaria.

Vaccines, the RTs, S vaccine, also known as mosque ox, has been shown to be moderately effective in preventing malaria in young children. The vaccine has been approved by WHO for use in African countries with high rate of malaria, including Nigeria.

Malaria continues to be a major public health issue in Nigeria ,but progress is being made in the fight against this devastating disease. The challenges are signing ,but potential for significant improvement in the health and well being of Nigeria people is immense. The importance of continued funding and investment in malaria prevention and treatment cannot be overstated.