By Chijioke Iremeka
Medical experts have attributed natural and man-made environmental issues such as poor sanitation and hygiene as the causes of persistent malaria transmission in Nigeria and major setbacks to the country’s control efforts.
The experts, who spoke with Reportr Door Healthwise in separate interviews, also said that ecological factors affect the transmission intensity, seasonality and how malaria is distributed across different geographical locations.
A professor of Molecular Biology and Genomics in the Department of Biological Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Christian Happi, told our correspondent that strategies that changed humans’ attitude to the environment, were among the oldest interventions for malaria control, but currently not the most prominent despite historical evidence of its effectiveness.
He noted that good sanitation and a clean environment have been the age-long strategies that have been effective in fighting the spread of malaria, especially with several other interventions.
He said, “When we talk about environmental factors, we are talking about environmental hygiene and sanitation. We talk about how water stagnation and storage of water in containers become breeding sites for the female anopheles mosquitoes that are responsible for disease transmission.
“When there are stagnant waters in the environment or when people store up water in containers, they become a breeding place for larva which develops into mosquitoes.
“A dirty environment is also a good reason for disease transmission, especially when we litter the environment with empty plastic bottles and used plates which can store water in them. This increases the presence of anopheles mosquitoes that transmit malaria.
“Now, we still have flashes of rain and I want us to understand that it’s not only environmental factors but developmental issues. We need to develop proper drainages and ensure that they are clean. Developmental issues such as the provision of tap water would discourage storing up water in containers and thereby breeding of mosquitoes would have been taken care of.
“We should, therefore, avoid stagnant waters around our environment if we must eliminate malaria in Nigeria. Also, environmental cleanliness and sanitation are required for malaria eradication in Nigeria.”
Speaking on the vaccination against malaria, Happi insisted that the vaccine will reduce infant mortality and the number of deaths by malaria, but will not prevent the mosquitoes from breeding.
He noted, “Vaccination will only prevent people from getting severely ill and dying, but we need to do things that will stop the mosquitoes from breeding. We need to do something that would stop them from increasing their numbers. When we have ponds everywhere, and water everywhere, they become breeding sites for mosquitoes.
“If we reduce the number of mosquitoes, especially the anopheles mosquitoes that transmit disease, even when people get sick, they can’t transmit malaria. Remember it is the anopheles mosquitoes that will transmit malaria after feeding on a pure person and transmit on to another.
“So by reducing the number of anopheles mosquitoes, when somebody is ill, there won’t be enough mosquitoes to transmit it to others. And that is how you reduce disease transmission. We need to adhere to the strategies of the National Malaria Elimination Programme.”
Also, a Public Health Physician at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Dr. Azeezat Shopeyin-Dosunmu, said there has been measurable occurrence and transmission of malaria in Nigeria over the years.
“In Nigeria, malaria is stable with repeated infection in the community. The level of occurrence is constant, as most Nigerians are immune. “This is due to various environmental factors including adequate temperature, high humidity and rainfall, which are favourable to the survival of both the anopheles mosquito and plasmodium parasite.
“Socioeconomic factors such as uncontrolled urbanisation, sanitation, which allows for the breeding of anopheles mosquito, late night outdoor human activities, poverty, illiteracy, poor health seeking behaviour and drug abuse. These allow mosquitoes into the living space of the masses and so cause more disease transmission.”
Copyright Reportr Door
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from Reportr Door.
Contact: [email protected]
Leave a Reply