The UNICEF ‘s Country Head , Social Policy , Advocacy and Communication, Dr. Godwin Nwabunka, disclosed this in Lagos on Friday, during the distribution of insecticide -treated net to pregnant women and nursing mothers at Alimosho local government area to mark the World‘s Malaria Day.
Nwabunka however said that UNICEF was working in partnership with the British Airways, through the Change For Good Programme, to boost the fight against malaria in the country, especially among pregnant women and children regarded as the most vulnerable group.
He said, ”despite the fact that malaria is responsible for over 20 per cent of all death in children under one year old in Nigeria , the use of insecticide-treated net in Nigeria is about 6.8 per cent. UNICEF is working in partnership with the Nigerian government and the British Airways through the Change For Good Programme to boost the fight against malaria thereby reducing the scourge of the disease especially among pregnant women and children.”
Speaking during the occasion, the wife of the Lagos state governor, Abimbola Fashola,who was represented by the Director of Family Health and Nutrition in the Lagos state Ministry of Health, Dr.Monsurat Oyekan, said malaria constituted a major economic problem to the people of Lagos and Nigerians in general.
She said malaria has remained a major public health problem in Nigeria, saying the disease accounts for 30 per cent of childhood mortality deaths and among pregnant women. “It accounts for more than one in 10 deaths. The yearly economic loss due to malaria is about N132billion due to the cost of treatment and transport to source of treatment, loss of man-hours, absenteeism from schools and other indirect costs,” the Lagos first Lady said
