N300b lost to malaria treatment annually

About N300 billion is lost annually to treating malaria diseases in Nigeria, the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), has said.

National Coordinator of the Programme, Dr. Audu Mohammed, disclosed this at a quarterly meeting with the media in Abuja, on Thursday.

The disease, he explained, is also responsible for 11 per cent of maternal deaths and 30 per cent of child death.

He added that the disease, although treatable, continued to remain a major challenge in the country.

Mr. Mohammed said: “Financial loss due to malaria is estimated to be about N300 billion naira ($7497) annually in form of treatment costs, prevention costs and loss of man -hours.”