A Medical laboratory scientist, Mrs Juliet Ezike, on Saturday urged Nigerians to always comply with the national policy on malaria that stipulates medical test before receiving treatment.
Ezike, a staff of Blessed Medical Laboratory Services, made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.
According to her, this will reduce unnecessary and irrational use of anti-malarial drugs.
“Malaria policy states that every suspected case must be tested and confirmed before treatment can be administered on patients.
“This policy has been in force for many years in the country, but with little or no compliance by people,’’ she said.
Ezike said that implementing the policy might take time, but would save many lives at the end.
The laboratory scientist also urged pharmacists and medicine store owners to desist from attending to any patient that refused to go for a test before requesting for treatment.
She recommended the use of long-lasting insecticidal net, indoor residual spraying and environmental management as other methods of reducing the burden of malaria in Nigerian communities.
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She said that keeping clean environment and eliminating mosquitoes breeding place would ensure low incidence of malaria.
“The National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) says that in Nigeria the disease is responsible for 60 per cent outpatient visits to health facilities, 30 per cent childhood death.
“The financial loss due to malaria annually is estimated to be about N132 billion in form of treatment costs, prevention, loss of man-hours, yet it is a treatable disease.’’ she said.