Chioma Umeha
Malaria is highly endemic in Nigeria and poses a
major challenge to human development.
Pregnant women, especially ‘primigravidas’ that
is a woman who is pregnant for the first time are particularly at risk.
The disease may not only account for up to 15
per cent of anemia in pregnancy, it cause
In view of this, researchers and stakeholders
have restated the need for early commencement of antenatal care by pregnant
women.
According to them, this aids early diagnosis and
prompt treatment of malaria in pregnant women as well as uptake of Intermittent
Preventive Treatment in Pregnancy (IPTp).
Making the recommendations during a recent media
chat on “Malaria In Pregnancy,” they stressed that regular and appropriate use
of Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) help to prevent malaria in pregnant
women.
The event was jointly organised by the National
Media Elimination Programme (NMEP) and the Health Writers Association of
Nigeria (HEWAN) at the National Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Lagos.
The health experts drawn from World Health
Organisation (WHO), NMEP and NIMR gave detailed presentations on management and
effective control of malaria during pregnancy.
Speaking at the media parley, Dr Tolu Arowolo of
the WHO emphasised the importance of early Antenatal Care (ANC), and insisted
that booking and administering of IPTp are critical in preventing malaria
during pregnancy.
“IPTp is based on the assumption that every
pregnant woman living in an area of high malaria transmission has malaria in
her blood stream or placenta, whether or not she has symptoms of malaria.
“A pregnant woman is supposed to receive a
minimum of three doses of SP before delivery.
“They should also sleep under LLINs because it
is also an intervention against malaria,” she said.
Arowolo said that good nutrition was also
critical during pregnancy as it helped to nourish the mother and foetus, as
well as boost the immune system.
Also, Itohowo Uko, the Head of Advocacy,
Communication and Social Mobilisation in NMEP, also enjoined women to report
for ANC immediately they realised they are pregnant.
Uko also said that following uptake of IPTp, 37
per cent of pregnant women took two doses of Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamine (SP)
according to 2015 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey (NMIS).
Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamine is a recommended
medicine for malaria prevention for pregnant women in Nigeria.
This should be taken at least once during an ANC
visit.
Noting that the uptake of SP is significantly
low based on NMIS 2015, she charged women to exercise their right of demanding
for at least for three doses of SP during pregnancy based on recommendation.
She further clarified that each dose should be
taken one month apart.
Dr. Bartholomew Odio, a gynaecologist, urged
people, especially pregnant women to always request for testing before the
treatment of malaria fever.
Odio, who is the Malaria Technical Advisor with
Jhpiego Nigeria, an affiliate organisation to John Hopkins University, U.S,
advised them to always demand to know the drugs that were given to them.
Participants at the training were worried that
despite the effectiveness of LLINs in preventing malaria and widespread
accessibility to it, there are many cases of low and incorrect usage of LLINs
in Nigeria, thereby reducing its ability to protect pregnant women against
malaria.
They advised all pregnant women to sleep inside
LLIN every night.
Earlier, the Dr Audu Mohammed, National
Coordinator of NMEP, urged the media to collaborate with it on malaria control,
care and prevention in Nigeria.
According to the organisation, collaboration
with HEWAN would help to achieve the programme’s strategic plan of ensuring
total elimination of malaria in Nigeria by 2020.
Mohammed, represented by Dr Joel Akilah, Head of
Integrated Vector Management in NMEP, said that the importance of the meeting
could not be over emphasised because malaria was a major public health concern
in Nigeria
“This is especially when considered against the
backdrop of the negative effects of malaria attacks on our social and economic
development as a result of absenteeism from schools, offices and farms.
“Over 90 per cent of Nigerians are at risk of
malaria while children under-five and pregnant women are seen to be more
vulnerable to this disease, hence the focus of this discussion,” he stressed.
Mr. Timothy Obot, representing the Head,
Monitoring and Evaluation in NMEP, urged the media to take the lead in
providing investigated and researched evidence of the efficacy of recommended
malaria prevention strategies.
Responding, Mrs. Chioma Obinna, President,
HEWAN, commended the NMEP for its strategic policies and activities toward the
elimination of malaria in the country.
“It is important that NMEP is collaborating with
the media in the fight to eliminate malaria because the media had the power to
reach out to the masses,” she said.
Also, Mr. Sola Ogundipe, a seasoned health
journalist applauded NMEP for the initiative.
He said that eliminating malaria in Nigeria,
especially in pregnancy was achievable through commitment and collaboration
with all stakeholders, as well as Nigerians themselves.
“Deaths from malaria as well as deaths as a
result of Malaria in Pregnancy can be reduced to the barest minimum and HEWAN
will join in this cause,’’ Ogundipe said.
