Lara Adejoro
The Nigerian Medical Students’ Association, Southwest Region, has called on Nigerians to unite to combat malaria and other diseases.
The Regional Director, Medical Outreach of NiMSA, Faith Edobor stated this at the medical outreach organised by the group in partnership with the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria in Lagos State, Mobihealth and Rotaract 9110.
The programme held at the RCCG, Chapel of Solution, Lagos Province 8, Region 2, Mushin, Lagos, was organised to commemorate the 2024 World Malaria Day, themed, ‘Health, Equity, gender and Human Rights.’
WMD is commemorated every year on April 25th to recognize global efforts to control malaria. This year’s celebration is themed ‘Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world,’ according to the World Health Organisation.
WHO stated that malaria mostly spreads to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, adding that blood transfusion and contaminated needles may also transmit the disease.
The first symptoms may be mild, similar to many febrile illnesses, and difficult to recognise as malaria.
If left untreated, P. falciparum malaria can progress to severe illness and death within 24 hours, the global health body said.
Africa carries a high proportion of the global malaria burden, accounting for about 95 per cent of all malaria cases and 96 per cent of all malaria deaths in 2021, according to WHO.
Speaking on the intervention, Edobor said, “Through medical outreaches, we extend care to those most vulnerable, bridging gaps in healthcare access and knowledge.
“This medical outreach is carried out all over the Southwest states. It cut across 15 medical schools participating in terms of carrying out enlightenment campaigns, tests including malaria, HIV, blood sugar tests and distribution of insecticide-treated nets and menstrual pads to female participants.
“Every test administered, every bed net distributed, and every piece of advice imparted is a step towards a malaria-free world. Together, through collective action and compassion, we can turn the tide against malaria, ensuring healthier futures for generations to come.”
She also commended the interventions of the donors and partners towards the success of the outreach.
“I commend the president of MWAN, our host, Pastor of RCCG, Pastor Foluso Oyesiku, NiMSA regional coordinator, Southwest, Damilola Oriji, Rotaract District 9110 and my colleagues and local officers of NiMSA across the Southwest. Without you all this wouldn’t have been possible,” she added.
President of MWAN in Lagos, Dr Funmi Ige, urged the government to make quality healthcare accessible to Nigerians.
Every Nigerian regardless of gender and social status, according to her, deserves unhindered access to quality healthcare.
Speaking on the significance of the programme, Ige said Nigeria and indeed, Africa, is a malaria endemic zone, which is the reason governments at all levels should pay more attention to curbing the spread of the disease.
She said, “To commemorate this year’s World Malaria Day, we are screening 300 patients for Malaria, HIV, HBP, Blood sugar, and to also enlighten them on preventive measures and how to live a healthy lifestyle.
“A lot can be done to curb the spread of malaria and also reduce the number of casualties from the disease. As we know, we are in the malaria endemic zone in Nigeria and Africa. This means that malaria is peculiar to our areas therefore the fight against malaria is a continuous one.
“The government is trying its best to curb the spread of the disease. At MWAN, we are complementing this effort. We are interested in the well-being of the populace both women and children.
“So, we do health enlightenment and education concerning malaria and other diseases to let Nigerians know how to prevent it and when it thus happens, what they should do to get tested.
“In this outreach, we are testing and distributing drugs and insecticide-treated net free of cost courtesy of our partnering pharmaceutical organisations.
“We are extending the test to Hepatitis B for interested participants. We are calling on well-meaning Nigerians to support this cause so that we can reach out to more Nigerians.
“We are saying that Nigerian has a right to access healthcare regardless of gender therefore we are calling on the State and federal Governments to prioritise the wellness of all Nigerians. Every Nigerian should have the right to quality healthcare,” she stated.
On his part, the Medical Director, Rotaract District 9110, Dr Bola Owate, urged the government to operate a more sustainable healthcare system and prioritise the prevention of diseases.
He said, “At Rotaract, we are contributing our quota to reducing the burden of malaria as well as providing relief care possible.
“We are not only focusing on malaria. Our focus is also on other diseases like cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Today, we are screening for malaria with free drugs insecticide-treated net to be distributed to patients.
“Under this, my message to the government and Nigerians is to prioritise prevention of disease. Using malaria as a prototype, Nigerian government has invested a lot of resources in the prevention of malaria and even in healthcare, the burden of malaria is on the increase.
“There is a saying that an average Nigeria is one disease away from poverty thus we cannot continue to operate a health system that is not sustainable.
“We need to prioritise preventions, preventive practices and policies. Many communities across the countries have poor sanitary hygiene and environmental policies; this has increased the burden of malaria and other cardiovascular diseases.
“The government needs to invest in healthcare infrastructure to curb communicable and non-communicable diseases.”
Representative of Mobihealth and medical laboratory scientist, Dennis Nima, disclosed that several new cases of malaria and high blood pressure were discovered.
According to him, many patients also tested positive to fasting blood sugar.
He said, “There are many cases of these and prescriptions have been given to them. The government should provide quality healthcare for the people and also try as much as possible to eradicate poverty because poverty also plays a huge role in the spread of malaria.”
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