The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) says improved human living conditions are key to eradicating malaria in the country.
A Director of Research at NIMR, Dr Adeola Olukosi, made the assertion at the December edition of the NIMR Monthly Media Chat on Tuesday in Lagos.
According to Olukosi who is the Head of NIMR’s Malaria Research Group, it is established that there is a crucial relationship between environmental factors and the persistence of the disease in parts of the world.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that malaria, transmitted via infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, remains a serious public health threat in many tropical regions.
While significant progress has been made in some countries, experts emphasise that living conditions remain the main line of defence.
“In parts of the world where malaria has been eliminated, improved conditions of human living have helped them.
“In the U.S. and in the southernmost parts of Europe, malaria used to be endemic in the real sense.
“What actually thrust malaria out of the environment, apart from wartime discoveries during World War 11, was better living conditions,” Olukosi said.
She pointed out that while Chloroquine and DDT helped curb malaria in some countries, colder climates and improved socioeconomic conditions made a bigger impact.
“Their environment, the cold weather didn’t help to sustain the vectors.
“That made it easier for those societies to get rid of malaria,” the expert noted.
In contrast, regions like ours where malaria persists, often face challenges like inadequate housing, poor sanitation, and environmental conditions conducive to vector breeding
“Even if you are able to get rid of all the pools that elevate the breeding and health of these vectors, you will still find water collected in between plants, in between leaves.
“You can’t get rid of all of that. Our environment is especially well-suited for the propagation of this parasite’’.
Proffering solutions, she highlighted that to win the fight against malaria, stakeholders must not only invest in medical and technological tools but also work to uplift living standards.
She stated the importance of coordinated global efforts and policy reforms for effective disease control of malaria and other public health diseases.
“The bottom line is we cannot do it by ourselves. We need synergy. We need cooperation. We need assistance’’.
She said there was a need for cooperation and assistance from malaria-free regions due to the disease’s ability to cross borders.
Additionally, the researcher noted that malaria had also continued to be endemic where certain genetic traits, such as the sickle cell gene, were present, attributing it to the parasites’ ability to thrive in the semi-sickle gene environment.
“The explanation that has been put forward is that these parasites are able to live comfortably in such environments,” she said.
“The presence of sickle cell genes in a population makes it difficult to eradicate malaria due to the parasites’ adaptation to the environment’’.
She advised that Nigeria and other malaria-endemic regions consider investment in better housing, sanitation, and infrastructure as these would deliver long-term dividends in the fight against malaria.
Olukosi also outlined the various tools available for malaria control, including treatment, case management, vector control, and prevention of which NIMR had been actively involved in and researching on.
She emphasised that malaria research was a top priority for NIMR, with support from the Director–General.
According to her, NIMR partners with the National Malaria Programme to provide technical support and reports on drug efficacy, conducts molecular surveillance to predict drug resistance and informs policy among others.
Also speaking, the Director-General of NIMR, Prof. John Obafunwa, noted that misdiagnosis of fever as malaria remained a significant challenge in Nigeria.
According to him, the automatic attribution of all fevers to malaria is contributing to drug resistance and delayed treatment for other illnesses.
He noted that community habits often equated any fever with malaria, overlooking alternative causes and complicating efforts to combat the disease.
Obafunwa highlighted how social factors such as gender, economic status, and occupational exposure further impacted malaria prevention and treatment.
“In many Nigerian communities, decision-making about healthcare can be delayed by family structures or financial limitations, especially for women and children.
“Sometimes, before you can even have treatment, maybe one has to call the husband, or you see a mother in a hospital who cannot afford care,” he noted.
He also cited the higher risk faced by individuals in certain occupations, for instance, rice farmers working in waterlogged areas, who spend extended hours outdoors and are more exposed to mosquito bites.
These realities, he said, also underlined the need for malaria interventions that address both medical and social dimensions.
“Successful malaria control isn’t just about distributing bed nets or medicines.
“We need to factor in the everyday lives, vulnerabilities, and behaviour patterns of local populations.’’
Obafunwa called for greater community engagement, improved diagnostic practices, and targeted support for marginalised groups as essential steps in curbing the incidence and impact of malaria across the country.
(NAN)
Read the full article here
