Niger loses N5.2bn to malaria annually

NIGER State government has raised the alarm that on annual basis, it loses about N5.2 billion to malaria infection, as a result of absenteeism from work by its workforce, as well as inability of farmers to attend to their farming activities. It raised the alarm through the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Ibrahim B. Sule, at a media parley held at the conference hall of the ministry, to mark the 2012 World Malaria Day.In a press bulletin made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Minna, at the weekend, Dr Sule said though malaria was curable, it remained endemic and constituted a major problem to public health, adding also that it accounted for 30 per cent mortality rate of children under five years.The commissioner said it was because the state government wanted to reduce the burden of malaria to the barest minimum that it released N127.5 million as operational cost for distribution of 1.7 million long lasting insecticide-treated nets to households in the state in 2009.Dr Sule also disclosed that about 340,000 treated nets and 597,000 doses of sulphadoxine pyrimethamine were distributed to 447 health facilities offering ante-natal care, through routine distribution, while 1,270,000 Artemisinne-based combination therapy doses were distributed to 375 health facilities across the state.He further highlighted that the state had taken delivery of 1,334,290 rapid diagnostic test kits, which, he said, would be distributed to health facilities for diagnosis of malaria, adding that personnel handling the kits would be trained.
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