The Nasarawa State Government has called on residents of the state to regularly go for malaria test to ascertain their status before treatment to avoid complications.
The state Commissioner for Health, Mr Ahmed Yahaya, made the call at media parley on on Sunday in Lafia.
The media parley was organised as part of activities to commemorate the 2022 World Malaria Day.
According to the commissioner, malaria is caused by a bite of a female anopheles mosquito and its consequences is seen more among pregnant women and children less than five years of age.
He explained that malaria is capable of causing intrauterine growth, retardation of the unborn child, abortion, pre-termed labour, renal failure and death.
Yahaya, who said that disease is dangerous, noted that it was responsible for the death of so many people, hence the rationale for state government’s collaboration with partners in investing towards eliminating it.
He warned that not all fever that are malaria related and advised residents against self medication.
He further advised residents to visit any health facility in the state for testing and subsequent treatment if tested positive .
“The uncomplicated malarial cases can be handled by primary healthcare centres while severe cases would be handled at the secondary and tertiary facilities,” he said.
Yahaya advised the public to sleep under treated nets, adding that such practice is currently the best method to prevent malaria.
He also said that the government in collaboration with partners had done a lot towards eliminating malaria in the state which had helped in reducing its spread to less than 14 per cent.
He further explained that the government with partners had recently distributed more than two million treated nets in the state aimed at achieving zero malaria target.
Earlier, the Director Public Health, Dr Ibrahim Alhassan, said that the media parley was to create awareness on how to reduce the burden of malaria in the state.
The director commended journalists for their support to the campaign against malaria in the state and appealed for more to enable them to win the fight.
The he Programme Manager of Break Through Action Nigeria in the state, Mr Ohobo Thomas, said that winning the fight against malaria would be possible if everyone used treated nets.
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He added that were those diagnosed with malaria should ensure taking all prescribed drugs to complete treatment.
“It is not good for one to stop taking malarial drugs half way into the treatment, therefore, everyone diagnosed must complete their treatment to avoid complications,” he warned.
Go for malarial test, treatment, Nasarawa State tells residents
