World Malaria Day: Nigeria Accounts For 25% Of Global Malaria Burden –Adewo
ABUJA – Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, yesterday revealed that malaria is still a public health challenge in Nigeria, adding that the country still accounts for 25% of the global malaria burden. He also said that the nation accounts for 19% of deaths from malaria.
He stated that though funding for malaria control has remained relatively stable since 2010, Nigeria needs to improve the level of her investment to achieve a reduction of at least 40% in malaria case incidence and mortality rates by 2020.
The minister made this known in his message to commemorate the World Malaria Day, saying, the event provide an opportunity to review strategies and up the tempo with a view to reducing significantly the burden of malaria in the country.
The theme of the event was “Zero Malaria Starts with Me”, and slogan was “Join Me”. The minister said the theme was apt and reflected “our commitment to the achievement of a malaria free Nigeria. The slogan reveals our desire to have all Nigerians come on board in the fight against malaria. Every Nigerian has a role to play from the artisan on the street to the chief executive in the office. There are simple things that we can do: keep our environment clean; sleep inside the long lasting insecticidal nets; when feverish please go for a test; and if positive ensure that you are treated with Artemisinin based Combination Therapy (ACT).”
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