We Are Winning War Against Malaria –Idris

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris has expressed optimism that the war against malaria in the state would be won with the strategies employed by the state in combating the disease.

The commissioner, who stated this today at a press briefing on the scale-up of indoor residual spraying (IRS) exercise in the state, noted the renewed commitment of the state government to tackle the scourge of malaria using a multi-prong approach with emphasis on focused research and results for evidence-based programming and informed decision making.

He said this renewed commitment informed the inauguration of the malaria control stakeholders and research committee known as the Lagos State Malaria Research, Technical and Advisory Committee (LASMTAC) comprising representatives of the Academia, Colleges of Medicine, Research Institutions, Development Partners, relevant ministries and parastatals.

“Five subcommittees were identified viz; Research subcommittee, Environmental and Pesticide analysis subcommittee, Clinical diagnosis and management subcommittee, Advocacy and Public Enlightenment subcommittee and Planning and Resource Mobilisation subcommittee.

” The term of reference of the committee is to identify strategies for tackling the malaria scourge using research as a tool for malaria eradication,” Idris noted.

The commissioner added that the committee was also charged to develop guidelines and protocols for malaria control activities, harness possibilities of working with major stakeholders as well as determine priority action for the control of malaria in Lagos.

He noted that the research subcommittee after a thorough assignment prioritized integrated vector management (IVM) which includes the promotion of the use of Long Lasting Insecticide Nets, Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS), Larviciding and Environmental management as effective interventions to reduce the burden of malaria in the state.

“IRS which refers to spraying of all the stable surfaces inside human habitations using an effective insecticide, was especially prioritised. The recommended surfaces to be sprayed should include all potential resting places for local anopheles,” Idris said.

The commissioner stated that prior to the implementation of the IRS, series of surveys were conducted including baseline household malaria survey in five local government areas, institutional based assessment of the policies and practices of health facilities on malaria case management, review of the anti-malarial treatment protocol and baseline entomological survey which indicated the malaria mosquito density and behaviour in the local government areas.

“Others include geographical information system (GIS) that involves the mapping of structures and households, longitudinal entomological survey and malaria prevalence survey, baseline malaria prevalence survey and pharmacovigilance study on Artemisinin-based combination therapy,” he said.

The commissioner noted that a pilot IRS exercise was conducted in Ojo and Ikorodu local government areas in March 2010 and with a repeat six months later based on the decision of the research subcommittee, stressing that out of the 17,859 households and over 40,000 rooms that were enumerated, a total of 9,698 households and 37,482 rooms were sprayed with Delmethrine 250 WG with a coverage of 65%.

Said he, “the second phase of the IRS exercise in the same local government areas had a coverage of 75%. Adequate supervision and monitoring of the IRS exercise was carried out by both internal and external monitors from the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP).”