EVEN though there has been a decrease in the prevalence of malaria among children since 2010, from 42 per cent to 23 per cent in Nigeria, Kebbi State records the highest cases of deaths from malaria in children.
While speaking at a media training on Thematic and Technical Workshop in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Mr Koko Ette Mkpang of the BreakthroughACTION-Nigeria (BA-N) stated that Kebbi State had a malaria prevalence of 43 per cent in children with Borno and Imo states as the states with the least prevalence.
Mr Mkpang declared that Kebbi had the highest prevalence of malaria among children despite 85 per cent of its households having Insecticide-treated nets (ITN) like Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, and Jigawa states.
Mkpang said a survey conducted on children under five years to check for malaria parasite revealed the highest cases of malaria infestation was in the South-West (29 per cent) while 13 per cent of all the children involved in the survey had a fever over a two-week period.
According to him, although 61 per cent of households own at least one insecticide-treated net (ITN) in Nigeria, only 65 per cent of the de facto population in households with at least one ITN slept under an ITN the night.
Mkpang declared that BA-N was working in eight states in Nigeria to address malaria concerns, and solicited for media support in ensuring social and behavioural changes to boost increased Insecticide-treated nets usage every night all year, Intermittent Preventive Therapy (IPTp) during pregnancy and test all suspected fever cases before treatment.
Earlier, BA-N state coordinator, Ebonyi State, Mr Bassey Nsa ,said BA-N was all about igniting social and behavioural changes for malaria prevention as well as family planning/ reproductive health and maternal, newborn and childhealth (MNCH) interventions.
According to him, the USAID-funded BA-N project currently works in 11 states using social and behavioural change (SBC) thinking and practices to empower households and communities to become healthier and more prosperous.
Senior Programme Officer 2 – Media, BA-N, Mr Eze Eze, said individuals have different perceptions on different issues and urged the media to ensure that their non-verbal messages do not conflict with the verbal ones in ensuring appropriate social and behavioural changes that support healthy communities.
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