Cliff Okafor, executive director, community health, education and development in Africa, a non-governmental organisation, on Monday advised the public to seek proper diagnosis before treatment of malaria.
Okafor made the suggestion in an interview with NAN in Awka.
The medical expert said that Nigeria still accounts for high mortality rate in malaria.
He said that people are still ignorant of how to treat malaria, and end up taking the wrong drugs.
“Government at all levels and stakeholders should ensure proper counselling of the people on the treatment of malaria,” he said
Advertisement
“Some drugs bought from patent medicine dealers bear no content on dosage and timing. Patent medicine dealers should be enlightened on the right dosage and if sickness persists, they should refer patients to bigger hospitals.”
Okafor, a medical director at Harmony Specialist Hospital, Awka, said that it is risky for patients to rush and buy malaria tablets at the slightest sign of sickness without proper diagnosis.
He said that malaria accounts for 70 per cent of hospital attendance in Nigeria.
Advertisement
Add a comment
