By Joseph Edegbo:
As part of its contributions to raise awareness on malaria, a Media Roundtable has been held in Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria to mark the 2019 World Malaria Day which has as its theme, “Zero Malaria Starts With Me”.
Organised by Africa Media Development Foundation, AMDF, the event was held to expose Journalists to issues around Malaria to enable them communicate accurately in that regard.
With a sub theme “End Malaria in Pregnant Women”, resource persons were drawn from the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Support to National Malaria Phase 2, SuNMap2 and Global Fund Malaria Project.
Addressing the participants, Coordinator AMDF, Sekyen Dadik enjoined the media to report accurately, information gathered from experts with a view to taking preventive measures against malaria.
She also tasked them to beam their searchlight on those selling “not to be sold malaria items”, in order to stop the practice.
The Resource persons, on their part, dwelt extensively on the preventive measures against malaria which they said is preventable and treatable.
Mrs, Cecelia Markus, Safe Motherhood Program Officer at the State Primary Health Care Agency, stressed the need for pregnant women to subject themselves to medical test before treatment.
She stated that although the disease is easily treated and curable, but could be deadly, when it comes to pregnant women.
State Team Lead, SuNMap2, Christopher Musa listed Nigeria as one of the countries with high mosquito bites, saying that apart from being responsible for the death of 1 out of 10 pregnant women, the disease causes deformity.
Musa also spoke of the roles of SuNMap2, such as increase sustainable availability of anti malaria Commodities in order to Make family spend less on malaria disease, especially by sleeping under treated net regardless of any side effect, as well as taken SP drug three times during pregnancy.
On his part, State Technical Officer Malaria Consortium, Global Fund Malaria Project, Dr. Firima Augustine spoke on the implementation of the program by the Fund in Kaduna State.
He said the Fund has trained a number of health workers to render services to pregnant women in the 23 Local Government Areas of the State.
