‘Malaria kills 4,500 Pregnant Women in Nigeria annually’
About 4,500 pregnant women in the country die from malaria annually, experts have said.
They said the number accounts for 11% of the maternal mortality rate in the country.
The experts made the disclosure yesterday in Abuja, during the donation of 5,000 doses of Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine (SPLIT) Maldox tablets to the Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Pregnant Women project by Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
Bright Orji , Project Director, Jhpiego said Nigeria contributes about 25% of malaria cases in the world , adding that every year about 9.8 million women get pregnant out of which 14% would likely have malaria parasite in their blood system.
“So it is important not to allow these women come down with malaria. The disease causes still birth and death in pregnant women. That is why we must join hands to ensure pregnant women are safe,” he said.
He said only 17% of women who are supposed to get at least three doses of Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine (SPLIT) , a drug used to prevent malaria during pregnancy, access it.
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He said most Nigerian women do not attend antenatal or attend very late. According to him, the Preventive Treatment for Optimal Pregnancy (TIPTOP) project is aimed at ensuring women access the first dose of Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine drug at community level to encourage them to go to health facilities, register for antenatal and access the remaining doses. The programme is being piloted in Ondo, Ebonyi and Niger states.
Chief Executive officer of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Stella Okoli said many people were in need of malaria interventions . She enjoined Nigerians to assist in protecting more people from malaria .
Minister of State for Health, Senator Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora commended Emzor for the donation and assured of the commitment of the present administration in protecting Nigerians from malaria as well as providing enabling enabling environment to enable Nigerian companies grow.
Perpetual Uhomoibhi , Director Surveillance, Monitoring and Evaluation, National Malaria Elimination Programme said Nigeria was still one the countries with high burden of malaria but that it was still making steady progress towards elimination.
She said: ” It reduced from 42 % in 2010 to 27% in 2015. According to the last survey that is the NDHS 2018, it is now 22.6%. So we are making steady progress towards zero. We together with our partners plan to bring it to zero.”
