Nigeria Loses 4,500 Pregnant Women Annually To Malaria

About 4,500 pregnant women were recorded to die from malaria parasite annually, thereby accounting for 11 per cent of the maternal mortality rate in the country, experts have said.

This was disclosed Tuesday in Abuja during the donation of  5,000 doses of Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine (SPLIT) Maldox tablets to the Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Pregnant Women Project by Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Bright Orji, the Project Director, said Nigeria contributes about 25 per cent of malaria cases in the world, adding that every year about  9.8 million women get pregnant out of which 14 per cent  would likely have malaria parasite in their blood system.

“So it is important not to allow these women come down with malaria. The disease causes still birth and death in pregnant women. That is why we must join hands to ensure pregnant women are safe,” he said.

Orji noted that only 17 per cent of women who are supposed to get at least three doses of Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine (SPLIT), a drug used to prevent malaria during  pregnancy, access it.

He said most Nigerian women do not attend antenatal or attend very late.

According to him, the Preventive Treatment for Optimal Pregnancy (TIPTOP) project is aimed at ensuring women access the first dose of Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine drug at community level to encourage them to go to health facilities, register for antenatal and access the remaining doses.

The programme is being piloted in Ondo, Ebonyi and Niger States.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Stella Okoli, Chief Executive Officer of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, said many people were in need of malaria interventions. 

She enjoined Nigerians to assist in protecting more people from malaria.

On his part, the Minister of State for Health, Senator Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora,  commended Emzor for the donation and assured of the commitment of the present administration in protecting Nigerians from malaria as well as providing enabling enabling environment to enable Nigerian companies grow.

Perpetual Uhomoibhi, Director, Surveillance, Monitoring and Evaluation, National Malaria Elimination Programme, said Nigeria remains one the countries with high burden of malaria but it’s still making steady progress towards elimination.

She said: “ It reduced from 42 per cent in 2010 to 27 per cent in 2015. According to the last survey that is the NDHS 2018, it  is now 22.6 per cent. So we are making steady progress towards zero. We together with our partners plan to bring  it to zero.”