Malaria Prevention and Control: Trying the Environmental Sanitation Approach

Malaria Prevention and Control: Trying the Environmental Sanitation Approach

It is no longer news that Malaria fever is endemic to Nigeria and the entire Sub-saharan Africa and unfortunately it has become a norm in our collective lexicon in this part of the world. Also, many a family already have a budget for the combat of the accepted disease (Malaria tax) that it is no longer shocking, the number of deaths attributed to it on a daily basis.

In retrospect, looking at the efforts both the Federal and State governments put into the fight against the Ebola virus scourge that  ravaged parts of the West Africa including Nigeria, even though recorded deaths were low compared to thousands of children under five years and pregnant women dying daily via malaria, so many questions begin to pop up. Do we act so non-challantly because Malaria kills majorly the poor members of the public or what? It is really disturbing.

Really, it's not because the government has not done anything but the steps taken so far might have been sincerely wrong. Several programmes have been floated to combat Malaria but sadly, they have not only failed woefully but certain individuals have inadvertently profiteered from these. Those people have seen the issue of malaria control as a means of financial gain and feeding their insatiable appetite for wealth.

Most of the programmes sponsored by the government and donor agencies have been directed at treating the effect of the disease and not its causes. Malaria control, often times have been about the sale of drugs and most recently, the sale of Insecticide Treated Nets. These steps have only produced wealthy Pharmacists, Medical Officers, Medical laboratory workers, contractors etc. But yet, malaria still kills everyday and reduces productivity plummeting the economy.

After trying all these failed projects over the years, I ask why don't we try another option. At least, a wise man once said, only a foolish man does the same thing again and again, expecting a different result. Let me rejig your memory about the disease called Malaria.

Malaria is caused by a parasitic organism known as Plasmodium. There are four species namely Plasmodium malariae, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. falciparum. This agent is carried or transmitted by the female anopheles mosquito which breeds in stagnant water or puddles in a temperature that is tropical as we have along the equator. So our weather supports the breeding of mosquitoes. But don't forget that without the mosquitoes, malaria cannot be transmitted to humans.

So, why not get rid of the vector and the problem is solved. Is it so difficult to do? That is where the environmental sanitation option comes in. Environmental sanitation is simply the taming of the environment to make it less hazardous to life. The taming of the environment is achievable if we do the right things at the right time.

Governments at all levels of the country will do well in the fight against malaria if resources are channeled to the fight against Mosquitoes. The identified enemy here is the Anopheles Mosquito which sucks blood for the proper production of its eggs. If we continue to fight the wrong battle, how then do we overcome.

Since mosquitoes breed in stagnant water which may arise from acts and omission of citizens, decayed infrastructures, improper planning and layouts, indiscriminate disposal of refuse, lack of pipe borne water, which encourages unhygienic water storage habits, overgrown weeds, among other things, it is apt to tackle these issues.

Resources, funds, aids as well as all political will should therefore be provided to get rid of mosquitoes from our society. Rather than the continuous campaign for treatment of malaria, which has not reduced clinical cases, or the continuous importation of treated nets which can only be used when sleeping (heat even discourages many families from sleeping under the net while considering that mosquitoes can bite even in the toilet), environmental sanitation is the way to go.

The employment of more Environmental Health Practitioners also known as Sanitary Inspectors will also go a long way to help reduce the scourge of Malaria fever. These set of officials go from house to house to ensure strict compliance with sanitation laws. But sadly, government at all levels are still reluctant in doing this, even when history has continually revealed the impact of the Environmental Health Officer. He is also the official backed by law to disinfest against mosquitoes.


It is high time we do the right thing to stop this avoidable deaths arising from malaria by going by the environmental sanitation approach.

Femi Abolade is a licensed EHO, writer, author and public speaker.

femibolade12@gmail.com
Whatsapp 08074275257