NMEP: Malaria in Pregnancy kills 11% of mothers yearly

Drawbacks to the National Malaria Elimination Programme denote a policy implementation problem, experts note. Besides implementation challenges, the health sector suffers from capacity development problems and infrastructural deficits. Experts urge deliberateness in policy execution.

• Nigeria’s strategic plan to eliminate malaria faces inadequate funding, infrastructural and training deficits among others;

• Malaria contributes to 30% of child mortality, exacerbated by malaria in pregnancy, which is detrimental to mother and child;

• While some data shows appreciable gains, the financing gap is still a far-cry from optimal.

In recent years, Nigeria’s malaria elimination saw gains, albeit with more setbacks. Chief among which include inadequate funding, absence of local capacities for commodities, policy implementation challenges. And these lapses continue to affect Nigeria’s malaria strategic plan (2014-2020 NMSP). Recall, the target for 2020 was ‘to reduce the malaria burden to pre-elimination levels and bring malaria-related mortality to zero’. 

Malaria in Pregnancy contributes to under-five mortality rates

Responsible for 30% of deaths to children, malaria is also the leading cause of mortality for children under five in Nigeria. Worse still, malaria in pregnancy (MiP) can be detrimental to both mother and child, leading to a host of comorbidities, according to the World Malaria Report 2019.

Ranging from stillbirth, premature birth or babies born with malaria (Congenital malaria), the implications of malaria during pregnancy are far-reaching. In fact, it accounts for about 25% of deaths in children under one year (neonatal mortality) and 11% of maternal deaths yearly (NMEP -2020).

Encouraging Data On Malaria Elimination – Expert

For Maxwell Kolawole, West and Central Africa Programmes Director, Malaria Consortium, Nigeria is on the right path, per available data.

Mr Kolawole pointed attention to the comparison of data from national surveys (National Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicator Surveys) in Nigeria. The data shows that the national prevalence of malaria among children under five years was 42% in 2010 and had fallen to 23% in 2018. Furthermore, the use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) for the prevention of malaria in pregnancy has increased in pregnant women from 34% in 2010 to 58% in 2018.

Deliberateness on policy implementation 

Medical doctor, Taver Adongo responding to Dataphyte identified inadequate funding as a barrier to Nigeria’s malaria elimination plan. Likewise, reminiscent of a household rationale, Dr Adongo further noted how health care providers often flout healthcare policies. 

Besides implementing established policy, the medical doctor bemoaned the infrastructural and training deficits in health institutions. According to him, an “enabling environment” was essential. To say nothing of the absence of capacity development for staff. 

Observing the preceding, a documented and enforced strategy is the way forward, Taver noted. To ensure a significant reduction of malaria to maternal mortality, he urged the government and other stakeholders to be deliberate in setting programme policies and strategies. “It is of importance to note that Nigeria has a detailed outline of the prevention, treatment, and surveillance of Malaria.” 

Mr Adongo did, however, acknowledge the role of COVID-19 in disrupting progress. “The ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic caused huge disruption to healthcare delivery services, ongoing health intervention programmes such as the NMEP, and healthcare seeking behaviour patterns of communities.”