Abia’s anti-malaria campaign

BARRING any unforeseen circumstances, the Abia anti-mosquito breeding campaign will come on stream in a few days. The campaign is anchored on four distinct factors which include infrastructure development, environmental hygiene, tax compliance and good following.

Undoubtedly, the Abia appraoch is a unique model. This is because previous efforts were aimed at curative measures rather than discouraging the breeding of mosquitoes which are the vectors or transmitters of diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, zika virus, filariasis, dengue fever, among others.

The model lays emphasis on the important measures in malaria control: discouraging egg-laying and preventing the development of eggs into larvae and adults.

Research has shown that the measures are more pro-active than others, such as killing adult mosquitoes, not allowing adult mosquitoes into places of human dwelling, preventing mosquitoes from biting human beigns and denying them blood meals.

One of the veritable tools of this campaign is to identify major mosquito breeding sites (MBS) in the state with the aim of dismantling them through sustainable infrastructure development.

Besides, the problems of the minor MBS such as construction sites around homes would be addressed through public enlightenment campaigns.

Describing this project as laudable is an understatement considering the huge toll malaria and related diseases spread by mosquitoes are exerting on the global economy, especially Sub-saharan Africa.

Studies have shown that malaria is one of the most severe public health problems worldwide. It is a leading cause of death and disease in many developing countries, where young children and pregnant women are the groups most affected.

The World Health Organisation’s World Malaria Report 2013 and the Global Malaria Action Plan reveal that half of the world population (approximately 3.2 billion people) live in areas at risk of malaria transmission in 106 countries and territories. In 2012, malaria caused an estimated 207 million clinical episodes, and 627,000 deaths.

Of all the other regions of the world, Africa is the hardest hit. This is because a very efficient mosquito (Anopheles gambiae complex) is responsible for high transmission; the predominant parasite species is plasmodium falciparum, which is the species that is most likely to cause severe malaria and death.

• Okechukwu Ukegbu

keshiafrica@gmail.com