Nigeria Begs America to Help Fight Malaria

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, on Monday urged the United States to support the Federal Government’s efforts to eliminate malaria in Nigeria by 2020.

Adewole, who made the call in Abuja at the 2017 World Malaria Day celebration organised by the U.S Embassy, said the Federal Government was committed to ending malaria by 2020.

The minister said that with the indices available, the country was still far from its dream of ‘Malaria-free Nigeria.’

“Our target is to achieve zero mortality rate from malaria by 2020; very ambitious target but doable. We can achieve it. That no Nigeria dies of malaria by 2020.

“We are working together with the Governors’ Forum to build a strong alliance on health system, to treat malaria, continue with the prevention of malaria and make sure we take malaria off the street.

“I use this occasion to solicit for more support to enable us achieve a pre-elimination phase in 2020,” he said.

The Deputy Head of Mission, U.S Embassy, David Young, in his remark called on Nigerians to be committed to sleeping in insecticide-treated bed nets every night to end malaria for good.

“Ending malaria for good is achievable if we play our individual and collective roles. Remember that malaria is preventable; ensure that you and all members of your household sleep under a treated bed net every night.

“Malaria is diagnosable; always demand a malaria diagnostic test before accepting treatment. Malaria is treatable.

“Once a fever is confirmed to be malaria, Artemisinin Based Combination Therapy (ACTs) are the only effective treatment.

“Do not use counterfeit or substandard drugs like chloroquine; they do not cure malaria,” Young warned.