Prices of insecticide products soar
Prices of insecticide products, especially those for home use against mosquitos and other rodents have gone up, a development Nigerians fear would likely increase the prevalence of malaria cases as only few Nigerians would afford them.
A survey across some markets in Lagos showed that the retail price of small size of Baygon product has increased from N500 to N600; Mortein (small size) hiked from N450 to N600. The retail price of Raid insecticide product has equally gone up from N500 to N700 while Mobil sells for N700. Topgun sells for N550.
Those who spoke to BusinessDay calculate that with the price increase only a few Nigerians would afford the products considering the dwindling purchasing power. They also feared that this might have its implications on prevalence of malaria especially this raining season when mosquitos breed more.
Nnamdi Onah, a pharmacist based in Lagos calculates that families who don’t protect themselves from mosquitos through spraying of insecticides or treated nets would likely get mosquito bites which would result to malaria.
Frank Okere, a practicing doctor also based in Lagos sees the increase in prices of some of these aerosol products as depriving some Nigerians the opportunity to protect their homes from mosquito bites as they may not be able to afford the products anymore due to economic difficulties.
“Under the present circumstance, some Nigerians would resort to insecticite substitutes”. He however said that he has not noticed high cases of malaria patients now but agreed that consumption of anti-malaria drugs is high in Nigeria.
On his comment, Lanre Yusuf of Lister Medical Center, Lagos also agreed that with the economic condition, it is only fewer people that could affort to buy the insecticide products at the current prices and this would have its implications on the health of many Nigerians. He however said that there are other cheaper ways of repelling mosquitos such as treated nets which last longer than sprays.
During the marking of last year’s World Malaria day on April 25, the Acting Secretary of the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Alice Odey-Chu said that there is 71 percent of prevalence of malaria in the country.
Odey-Chu said the figures highlighted the need for continued awareness and renewed commitment for the prevention of Malaria, which she described as a life-threatening disease. She said in a report: “Statistics in Nigeria shows average malaria prevalence of 71 per cent and in the FCT estimated at 66 per cent .
Odey-Chu noted that the disease had plagued Nigeria for long and remains a significant health issue among malaria-endemic countries, including Nigeria. She, however, said the disease was preventable and curable with proper protection. She said: “Pregnant women have two to three times higher risk of suffering from malaria.
Daniel Obi, Chukwudi Nwaneri and Ugochukwu Akobi