‘53% patients practise self-medication for malaria’

A new report on malaria and HIV /AIDS treatment and management in Nigeria has showed that 53 per cent of Nigerians rely on self judgment and medication in the treatment of malaria infections.

The study, which was conducted by a leading Opinion Polling and Research Organisation in Nigeria, NOI Polls Limited, in partnership with The Gallup Organisation, United States of America, was collated over a period of two weeks  in April. It also revealed  that 66 per cent of Nigerians have an episode of malaria fever every year.

Also in the study, 90 per cent of Nigerians noted that HIV/AIDS was  a critical health challenge in the country.

The report added, “Almost seven in 10 Nigerians have had malaria at least once in the past year. Thirteen per cent  resort to self medication in the form of locally sourced herbs such as Agbo Dogonyaro, (Neem leaves concoction) and other not-so-popular mixtures. Another 38 per cent simply buy medicine from the pharmacy or chemist. Interestingly, 4 per cent of the respondents are indifferent to the malaria scourge and do not use any medicine at all.”

However, only 44 per cent of the respondents said they visit the hospital to see a doctor when they have malaria.

The NOI polls gathered that over the last decade, major progress had been made globally in the fight against malaria as mortality rates have fallen by more than 25 per cent in 50 out of the 99 countries.

It added that with ongoing transmission rates the world would meet the World Health Assembly target of reducing incidences of malaria infections by over 75 per cent in 2015.

It also attributed this decrease to global efforts to  scale up vector control interventions, together with increased access to diagnostic testing and quality-assured treatment in these countries.

 But the report urged developing countries, especially Nigeria, to reduce the population of children dying of the disease.

“Malaria still kills an estimated 660 000 people worldwide, mainly children under five years of age in sub-Saharan Africa – including huge casualties from Nigeria. It is also estimated that malaria contributes 30 per cent to childhood mortality and 11 per cent of maternal mortality in Nigeria.  Every year, more than 200 million cases occur; most of these cases are never tested or registered.

“A recent decline of international funding has slowed down progress in these countries and emerging drug and insecticide resistance threaten to reverse recent gains,” the report added.

The polls also stated that more women visit the hospital than men, as a greater proportion of male respondents said they would rather visit the pharmacy to buy malaria medicines or use native herbs than females.

The survey also stated that malaria infection is more prevalent in the South than in the Northern part of Nigeria and attributed this variation in infections in the geo-political zones to natural factors like rain, greater presence of rivers, seas and lakes in the South, which support breeding of mosquitoes.