Women
PREGNANT women have been advised to always sleep under long lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets to reduce malaria-induced high maternal mortality rate among them.
Alhaji Abdullahi Nageri, the Kwara State Progamme Manager, Malaria Elimination Control, gave this advice in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Omu-Aran, Kwara.
Nageri said that malaria remained one of the major factors of maternal mortality among pregnant women nationwide.
According to him, pregnancy reduces a woman’s immunity, making pregnant women more susceptible to malaria infection.
“This also increase the risk of illness, anaemia, severe diseases and death.
“For the unborn child, maternal malaria increases the risk of spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, premature delivery and low birth weight, a leading cause of child mortality,” he said.
Nageri said the need to curb the menace of malaria-induced maternal mortality informed the distribution of mosquito treated nets to more than 100 pregnant women in the state recently.
According to him, the gesture is geared toward reducing the maternal mortality scourge to the barest minimum.
He explained that mosquito treated nets are safe for use as a personal preventive measure during pregnancy.
Nageri advised that pregnant women should start the usage of mosquito treated nets early enough during pregnancy to achieve the desired purpose.
“Insecticide-treated mosquito nets are one of the most effective and clinically acceptable tools for the prevention of malaria in the country.
He urged health personnel to always, and properly diagnose for malaria infection before treatment in order to prevent malaria resistance to treatment.
NAN
– Nov. 8, 2019 @ 19:49 GMT |
Tags: Maternal mortality: Expert advises pregnant women to sleep under nets
