A Master Plan to Eradicate Malaria in Nigeria

Sunday Ehigiator writes that with malaria still a major cause of high morbidity and mortality rate in Nigeria, the recent addition of the Artemether 80mg + Lumefantrine 480mg 1×6 Tablets anti-malarial drug by St. Racheal’s Pharma, to the fight against malaria, further energizes the master plan to eradicate malaria in the country.

A 2020 report by the United States Embassy in Nigeria described malaria as a major public health problem in Nigeria, where it accounts for more cases and deaths than any other country in the world.

According to the report, malaria is a risk for 97 per cent of Nigeria’s population, “the remaining 3 per cent of the population live in the malaria free highlands.

It estimated 100 million malaria cases with over 300,000 deaths per year in Nigeria. This compares with 215,000 deaths per year in Nigeria from HIV/AIDS. Malaria contributes to an estimated 11 per cent of maternal mortality.

The report also stated that malaria accounts for 60 per cent of outpatient visits and 30 per cent of hospitalizations among children under five years of age in Nigeria.

“Malaria has the greatest prevalence, close to 50 per cent, in children age 6-59 months in the South West, North Central, and North West regions. Malaria has the least prevalence, 27.6 per cent, in children age 6 to 59 months in the SouthEast region,” it read.

It was against the above statistics, did St. Racheal Pharma, a leading pharmaceutical company in Africa, decide to lead the fight against malaria in the country.

Speaking at the launch, the Chairman and CEO, St. Racheal Pharma, Akinjide Adeosun opined the possibility of eradicating malaria in Nigeria.

He said: “It’s my considered opinion that malaria can be eradicated in Nigeria, just like El-Salvador, Paraguay, Argentina, Algeria, Mauritius, Lesotho and Seychelles.

“But how did El Salvador, a Central America nation of 6,420,746 with a GDP of just $27 billion, eliminate malaria? According to health officials, the country achieved the milestone by consistently budgeting huge sums of money for malaria treatment and elimination programs for 50 consecutive years.

“Despite reporting its last malaria-related death in 1984, El Salvador maintained its domestic investments for malaria and continued to put foreign aid to good use. The funding continued even during the COVID-19 pandemic while the small nation mobilized thousands of health workers to battle malaria in strategic areas.

“It ensured the mechanical control of mosquitoes through construction of permanent drains in swamps, followed by indoor spraying with pesticides.

“The St. Racheal’s Artemether 80mg + Lumefantrine 480mg 1×6 Tablets anti-malarial drug is our contribution to waging war against malaria thereby reducing the menace of high morbidity and mortality of this treatable and neglected disease.

“The drug delivers our promise of a top-quality yet affordable pharmaceutical brand. This is in tandem with our mission of improving life expectancy in Nigeria.

“Focus on Malaria was neglected and it is still being neglected. We have taken it upon ourselves to increase the awareness of the dangers of malaria,” he noted.

Sequel to the Covid-19 pandemic still ravaging the world, Adeosun also revealed plans by the company to in future, establish vaccine factories across Nigeria.

According to him, “we shall commence the business development process for the establishment of a vaccine manufacturing company.

“We are currently assessing three potential state governments for a NLNG public – private partnership model vaccine manufacturing factory in Nigeria.

“We are utilizing PESTEL tool to prequalify our potential partner. Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal to determine the best fit for our organization.”

He added that this was a Long term project “that will position and deliver lifesaving vaccines for Nigerians in and out of pandemic.”