A renowned academic, Professor Monsuru Adebayo Adeleke of Osun State University, has revealed that malaria claimed the lives of 608,000 people across 85 countries, with Africa bearing the brunt of the disease.
Professor Adeleke, a specialist in Public Health Entomology and Parasitology, shared this information during the university’s 20th Inaugural Lecture held at the university auditorium in Osogbo on Tuesday.
While presenting statistics on the devastating impact of this life-threatening disease, he explained, “Over 249 million people are affected by malaria, which is transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, worldwide, resulting in over 608,000 deaths in 85 countries.”
He further added, “Over 94% of malaria cases, accounting for 233 million, and 95% of malaria deaths occurred in Africa, with children under five accounting for about 80% of all malaria deaths in the region.”
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In his lecture titled “Unending War of Man Against Mosquitoes and Blackflies: A Tale of Two Sacrificial Lambs Searching for Survival,” Professor Adeleke argued that vector-borne diseases account for over 60% of deadly and life-threatening diseases affecting humans, with malaria being a major concern.
According to him, “The diseases harbored and transmitted by insects (vector-borne diseases) constitute over 60% of deadly and life-threatening diseases of humans (Service, 1999).”
Beyond the deaths caused by malaria, Professor Adeleke highlighted other complications and socio-economic setbacks associated with the disease, including illness, frequent school and work absenteeism, abortion, and stillbirth. These, he noted, are additional unfriendly consequences of malaria.
To combat the spread of malaria, Professor Adeleke recommended that the government and policymakers adopt integrated vector control strategies.
He argued that “The mono-policy being implemented over the years is not yielding satisfactory results. It is giving the vectors free ways to devise means of escaping the onslaught.”
He stressed the need to strengthen and strictly enforce existing laws on environmental sanitation and pollution, stating, “Vectors breed in our surroundings, and preventing their breeding grounds solves 80% of the problem.”
He also emphasized the importance of an attitudinal change, especially in Africa and Nigeria, to win the war against vector-borne diseases. “Many of our activities in Nigeria inadvertently create environments conducive to vectors,” he said.
“For instance, our habit of turning gutters into dumping sites during the wet season blocks rivers’ flow, creating stagnant water ideal for mosquito breeding.
We must stop the indiscriminate use of insecticides and habits that create opportunities for vectors to breed and thrive.”
In response, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Clement Adebooye, commended the lecture and called on Africans to adequately manage mosquito populations to reduce the spread of malaria.
“The inaugural lecturer has provided clues on how we can appropriately manage mosquitoes so that malaria can be reduced in our society. I’m confident that by strengthening health delivery mechanisms, the government can significantly reduce the impact of malaria in our communities.”
