BY:
GODWIN OKANEME
Malaria is a disease which is transmitted by the bites of mosquitoes of the genus anopheles. Fever is the main symptom of malaria while other minor symptoms abound. Malaria accounts for the death of thousands of Nigerians annually. Many others who survive bouts of malaria ON annual basis have unpalatable experiences about the deadly ailment. Malaria of late has defied conventional drugs in its treatment and this has been a serious source of worry to many medical practitioners and sufferers of the ailment as well. While the issue of resistance to many known anti-malaria drugs remains a source of CONCERN, another deep source of worry is the issue of some unscrupulous and criminally minded Nigerians who collude with some conscienceless foreigners to produce fake and adulterated anti-malaria drugs and import same into the country. The question that should agitate the minds of millions of Nigerians with conscience is – why should these Nigerians endanger the lives of fellow citizens for the sake of money? The Federal Government through the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been working hard to curtail the menace of these fake drug peddlers. But much more still needs to be done to step up the campaign to fish out the criminally minded Nigerians behind this immoral and dastardly act and prosecute them without delay to act as a deterrent TO OTHERS indulging in such life-threatening business in the future. NAFDAC should as a matter of urgency comb all pharmacy and patent medicine shops in the country to rid such shops of fake and adulterated drugs. It is regrettable that some of these shops have become outlets for such unwholesome drugs that are life-threatening. Perhaps, NAFDAC could go a step further by organizing lectures for drug dispensers on the dangers of selling fake and adulterated drugs. Such lectures should be made mandatory for all those involved in the sale of drugs in the country.
The Federal government however deserves commendation for importing and distributing high quality anti-malaria drugs for the free treatment of pregnant women and children in government hospitals. Such gestures should be sustained. Again the free distribution of treated mosquito nets by both the Federal and some State Governments should be intensified. However there have been cases of the nets being seen in the markets for sale. There is the need to bring to book officials who hoard the nets and turn around to later sell them. Perhaps, the greatest challenge facing our medical scientists is that of inventing a vaccine that could prevent malaria. No conscious effort should be spared in this regard for once it is invented; it will surely spare our country the millions of naira that she spends every year on the treatment of malaria. It could also be a revenue earner for the country as the vaccine could be exported to other African countries. Since it is very true that prevention is better than cure, Nigerians should adopt serious preventive measures to stop malaria attacks.
Such measures include keeping their surroundings clean and cutting of grasses around houses since dirty environments are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Again, Nigerians should cultivate the habit of sleeping under treated mosquitoes nets. Since malaria is a deadly disease, Nigerians should equally adopt deadly and aggressive measures towards its control and eradication. It has been propounded by some medical experts that it can be totally wiped out from Africa as has been done in Europe and America. Government at all levels should start thinking of how to do this in Nigeria so that we can put the trauma of malaria behind us once and for all
Source: recorded live from FRCN daily commentary
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