OSOGBO – The Osun State Commissioner for Health, Mrs Temitope Ilori, on Friday advised pregnant women and nursing mothers to use treated mosquito nets to prevent malaria attacks.
Ilori told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo that they were more susceptible to malaria than the general population.
She said that one of the Integral Action Plans of the state government was the restoration of healthy living for all and total control of malaria infection in the state.
“Pregnant women are more likely to become infected, suffer a recurrence, develops severe complications and to die from the disease.
“According to studies malaria contributes very significantly to maternal and fetal mortality with at least 10,000 maternal deaths per annum, attributable to sub-Saharan Africa.
“Even without symptoms, the presence of malaria in a pregnant woman’s body will have a negative impact on her own health and her unborn child.
“And it does not matter the number of times that she has been pregnant, it affects all pregnant women regardless of age, it could cause abortion in pregnancy. [eap_ad_2] “Malaria infection during pregnancy is a significant public health problem with substantial risks for the pregnant woman, her foetus, and even the newborn child, some of these include, premature delivery, still birth and low birth weight.
“Treatment can be more difficult due to restrictions on anti-malarial agents. Many drugs are unlicensed in pregnancy due to lack of clinical trials and the fear of damaging the foetus.
“Preventing and treating malaria in pregnancy can be a key intervention to improving maternal, fetal and child health globally.
“Awareness of the risk of malaria, reducing likelihood of bites from mosquitoes, use of insecticidal nets, which is the best option since prevention is better than cure and then diagnosis and prompt treatment to prevent complications.“That is why I am pleading with our pregnant women , nursing mothers and the general public to make use of insecticide mosquito nets, for prevention of malaria and for good health during pregnancy,” she said. (NAN)[eap_ad_3]
