Dr Uchechukwu Okenwa, the director, public health and disease control, Enugu state ministry of health, has urged Nigerians to desist from consuming anti-malaria drugs when having fever.

Mr Okenwa gave the advice on Saturday during the inauguration of the Advocacy Communication and Social Mobilisation (ACSM) Core-Group for Malaria Elimination Programme (IMPACT) in Enugu.

Those inaugurated were representatives of the National Orientation Agency, academics, media, traditional rulers, ministries of environment, information, justices, health and non-governmental organisations on malaria, among others.

Mr Okenwa, while inaugurating the representatives, noted that before now, Nigerians used to take anti-malaria drugs like groundnut once they felt feverish without knowing if the fever was caused by pneumonia, stress or other things.

According to him, many Nigerians believe that every fever is malaria, making them take anti-malaria drugs to cure it.

“I want them to understand that not all fever is malaria. When you have a fever, you should go for a test and if it shows malaria, treat it.

“If it is negative, you look for another thing that is causing it, which may not necessarily be malaria, and that is what we are advocating for,” he said.

The director said that even when most results showed negative, some health officers still went ahead to treat malaria.

He explained that testing had been designed in a way that it would not take days to get results, stressing that within 20 minutes, the result could be ready.

“It is about our commitment to make behavioural changes towards malaria,” he stressed.

On the effort the state was making to eradicate malaria, Mr Okenwa said that Gov. Peter Mbah had paid counterpart fund for the malaria programme, adding that the state had trailer loads of malaria drugs in their stores waiting for distribution to Enugu people.

“We have also secured warehouses waiting for the arrival of mosquito nets, which will be distributed to Enugu residents,” he said.

Presenting what was expected from ACSM members, the social behaviour change coordinator, national malaria elimination programme, Abuja, Owoya Samuel, said that the members should ensure the promotion of positive behaviour towards prevention and control of malaria at all levels.

She tasked them on advocacy, communication and social mobilisation to eliminate and tackle the issue of malaria in the state.

Speaking on the Malaria Indication Survey (MIS) in Enugu, Mr Samuel said that the result showed that 25 per cent did not have access to mosquito net, 47 per cent had it but not using it, while 16 and 14 per cent said the net was not needed at night due to absence of mosquitos at night.

“Eight and 10 per cent said the net is dirty and old, respectfully, while 38 per cent said they are not using the net because of hot weather. Environment and nature may inform these decisions,” Mr Samuel said.

Earlier, Dr Ifeoma Otiji, the Enugu state malaria programme manager and coordinator, said that the meeting was the first of its kind on malaria in the state.

She reiterated the state’s commitment to improving and increasing malaria advocacy and communication by sensitising citizens of the state, especially rural dwellers, about the dangers of malaria.

According to her, for years, the state has had malaria programmes but now wants to accelerate them.

“We brought everyone together here to start advocacy and communication coverage as well as bridging the gap by getting the communities to know what is on ground and what they should do to create demand for malaria services,” Ms Otiji said.

(NAN)