Press ReleasesMalaria: An Everyday Story Making Headlines in Nigeria
(September 6, 2005) Malaria is one of the principal causes of sickness and death in Nigeria, and puts a huge socioeconomic burden on the country. With more than 50% of Nigerians suffering at least one bout of malaria per year (according to the Federal Ministry of Health), it is such an everyday story that it rarely made the news until a new treatment regimen was introduced in April 2005. That produced a flurry of press and some confusion over the phasing out of the old treatment, Chloroquine. To increase understanding of malaria treatment, government policy and prevention, 13 top newspaper editors from across Nigeria came together in July for a week-long training workshop in the capital city of Abuja. The workshop was organized and conducted by Internews and sponsored by the USAID-funded ENHANSE Project in collaboration with the Roll Back Malaria Program of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO). During the week, the editors observed demonstrations on how bed nets are treated with insecticide for malaria prevention, were briefed on Nigeria’s new policies in malaria treatment, visited community health centers in two villages outside of Abuja where small children sick with malaria are treated with the few supplies that are available, and visited the National Hospital where the new treatment Artemisinin Combination Therapy or ACT is now available. At the same time, they honed their journalistic skills. “For us to inform the public well, we also need to be appropriately informed on these basic issues,” said Francis Awowole-Brown of The Champion Newspapers at the end of the training week. “I feel well informed now on malaria prevention and treatment, and I feel empowered to inform my readers as well.” For some it was an eye-opening experience, particularly the visit to the village clinics. “It was surprising to learn that less than three out of every ten malaria cases at the community level receives correct treatment,” observed one editor from The Sun newspaper in Lagos. “This experience really showed that Nigerians need more information on this disease we take for granted. I am awakened to my personal and professional responsibilities in fighting malaria together with the people, to provide information that makes a difference in society.” Since the July workshop, over 20 news stories (see excerpts from a few below) have been published in Nigeria’s leading papers focusing on various aspects of malaria prevention and treatment — from reports about why treatment failure can happen to the importance of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) for all children under five who are the most vulnerable. Excerpts from some of the articles published on malaria:
JULY 24, 2005 “Roll Back Malaria may fail, except ...”Sebastine Ebhuomhan, Lagos Except Nigerians turn a new leaf and play a vital role in the battle against malaria, the bid by the Federal Government to fight the disease through the programme of Roll Back Malaria may not succeed. National Professional Officer of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Malaria, Dr. Bamgboye Afolabi, made the remark in an exclusive interview with Sunday Independent. Afolabi, who had just concluded a tour of some rural communities in Abuja as a part of a workshop facilitated for journalists by the Internews Network-Nigeria with the sponsorship of ENHANSE and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with WHO and Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), said the role of the people in the success of the programme was very important.
GOOD HEALTH Nigeria loses N132b annually to malariaBy ENYERIBE EJIOGU Coordinator of the National Malaria Control Programme, Dr. T.O. Sofola, has begun what will soon turn into active people-driven initiatives to meet the great challenge posed by malaria. Unknown to many, malaria is one illness that has been taking a heavy toll on life in Nigeria. Of every 1000 babies born alive, Dr. Bayo S. Faummbi, a public health specialist at the Malaria Control Unit of the WHO Country Office in Abuja says that malaria kills 178 of them. “This illness is the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the country,” he adds.National Professional Officer of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Malaria, Dr. Bamgboye Afolabi, made the remark in an exclusive interview with Sunday Independent.
Surviving Malaria with New Treatment RegimenLately, the treatment of malaria as one of the leading ailments
in Nigeria has been at the front burner of health care providers, policy
makers and donors. The problem of resistance is being addressed at
the highest levels of Nigeria’s health care system.
FOR MORE INFORMATION Liz Gold, Inernews HIV/AIDS Advisor Ron MacInnis, Internews Project Director of Health Journalism
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