ON this year’s World Malaria Day, health professionals have called on Nigerians to always demand for malaria test from their physicians before treatment. The Principal Investigator & Director ANDI Centre of Excellence for Malaria Diagnosis, College of Medicine University of Lagos, CMUL, Prof. Wellington Oyibo argued that access to test must be made possible if Nigeria is to win the fight against malaria. “There is need to expand access to malaria test which is the primary objective of Urine Malaria Test kits. The country is making concessions to ensure we get there.” Oyibo who justified why tests must be conducted before treatment for malaria, explained that the Federal government would soon announce the current status of malaria in the country. The Urine Malaria Test would eliminate treatment without test.
UMT is novel, it represents a disruptive technology. It is innovative because it will get to even to deepest and distance places. “Fever is caused by so many reasons. Years back, malaria cases were higher and you didn’t need to do tests. But with time, the prevalence of malaria is changing. If you have fever, the likelihood that it is going to be malaria is now low. Before, there was likelihood of over 75 percent in children 20 years ago but that has turned down. Warning about the dangers of treating malaria without treatment, he said such methods could drive resistance.
“Fever can be caused by cancers when they are developing, or by viruses.” Speaking, Chairman, UMT Technology & Strategic Partnerships, Dr Eddie Agbo, explained that UMT was developed following a major need especially in private sector and the need to improve standard of care. Agbo who noted that the kit could be used by anybody anywhere in the world, said the organisation is in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health in validating the Urine Malaria Test kits as there is a gap in malaria control particularly in the hard to reach areas.
“With UMT, it is easier to process 100 people than to test them with blood test. It is a thing of efficiency. We want to improve standard of care and that is the greatest advantage going for UMT. The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris said in 2015, 736,328 cases of malaria were reported in the state, and that the disease remains a priority disease for the state government.
Source: MWN
