FCT Recorded 289,957 Malaria Cases in 2021

Olawale Ajimotokan

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has reported that it recorded 289,000 malaria cases in 2021.

The Mandate Secretary, Health and Human Service Secretariat (HHSS), Dr. Abubakar Tafida,  made this disclosure yesterday, at a stakeholders’ interactive forum, organised by the Secretariat as part of activities to mark the 2022 World Malaria Day.

He said malaria accounted for 70 per cent of outpatient visits, 40 per cent of admissions and a malaria prevalence rate of 35.4 per cent.

He said Nigeria accounts for 32 per cent of malaria related deaths, as the disease was responsible for 60 per cent of admissions, 11 per cent of maternal mortality, 25 per cent of infant mortality and 30 per cent of under-five mortality.

He described this year’s theme as apt, saying it was a clarion call by the World Health Organisation (WHO), for new investments and innovation to speed up the pace of efforts to control the malaria menace.

He decried the situation in the FCT where the ever-enlarging slums cause stagnant waters and breed mosquitoes that cause cause malaria.

He said the FCTA has adopted a multi-pronged approach towards controlling the menace of the disease such as free provision of prophylaxis medicine, sulfadoxine pyrimethamine for pregnant women and free treatment and diagnostic testing of malaria cases in some selected primary health care facilities.

“Free distribution of 168,000 long lasting insecticides treated nets to communities and health facilities across the six FCT area councils for target population; and comprehensive and continuous public and community sensitisation programmes.

“Integrated supportive supervisory visits to health facilities across the FCT, to ensure quality malaria control service delivery; as well as quarterly review of malaria control activities in the FCT,” he affirmed.

In her remarks, on controlling malaria in Nigeria, Dr. Olusola Oresanya, of the Malaria Consortium, disclosed that Nigeria has the highest contributor of malaria burden (55.2 per cent) WHO African region.

She said malaria is a treatable and curable disease, which could be controlled through sustained net campaign and bringing in mechanisms to build up existing interventions for health issues.