Plateau records 121 deaths from malaria

The Commissioner for Health in Plateau, Dr Nimkong Ndam, on Monday said that the state recorded 121 deaths caused by malaria in 2020.

Ndam disclosed this on an occasion to mark the 2021 World Malaria Day in Jos.

The theme of this year’s world malaria day is “Zero Malaria: Draw the Line against Malaria.”

He said that the state also recorded 259,921 cases of uncomplicated malaria, 13,455 severe malaria cases and 14,775 malaria infected pregnant women cases in 2020.

According to him, the current record, when compared to the past records of five years, shows a decline in the effects of malaria in the state.

The commissioner said that the state in the bid to eradicate malaria epidemic spent N 332.91 million.

“Artemisinin based Combination Therapy (ACT), Rapid Diagnostic Test kits and Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamine for pregnant women were purchased,” he said.

Ndam urged the residents to keep their environments clean to prevent the vector from breeding.

He further urged them to sleep under treated insecticide nets to prevent mosquitoes from transmitting the plasmodium falciparum.

The commissioner commended the state government and its implementing partners for tackling disease.