60% of Hospital Cases in Nigerian State Related to Malaria, Health Official Says
About 60% of hospital cases in Nigeria's Cross River state are related to malaria, Iyam Ugot, coordinator of the state's Roll Back Malaria program, said recently,
Daily Independent/AllAfrica.com reports. Ugot added that 25% of deaths among infants, 30% of deaths among children and 11% of deaths among pregnant women can be attributed to malaria.
According to Ugot, the state has increased malaria control efforts and aims to reduce the spread of malaria by 80% in 2010 and by 100% in 2013. Ugot said that the state's Roll Back Malaria program, which was launched in 2000, aims to reduce or eradicate malaria in the state. He added that a decreased malaria burden will ensure the state is able to increase social and economic activities. In addition, the state government is seeking to partner with businesses to cultivate ingredients used in malaria drugs, which will help lower the cost of malaria treatment, Ugot said (Inyang, Daily Independent/AllAfrica.com, 2/5).
