95% of fever cases in Lagos not malaria – Health Commissioner

The Lagos State Health Commissioner, Akin Abayomi, has revealed the results of a comprehensive study conducted across the state. The research, which involved over 78,000 individuals across 514 healthcare facilities, found that 95% of fever cases did not test positive for malaria. This indicates that malaria is not the primary cause of fever in the majority of cases.

Abayomi emphasized the importance of adopting a "Test Before Treat" policy, which discourages residents from assuming that every fever is due to malaria and taking antimalarial drugs without proper diagnosis. The study also highlighted the dangers of self-medication, particularly when people with fever assume they have malaria, purchase antimalarial drugs, and then proceed to take other medications when there is no improvement.

Abayomi urged residents to seek professional medical care, undergo necessary tests, and take medicines based on the diagnosis. The "Test Before Treat" approach was introduced in response to the study's findings and the changing pattern of malaria in Lagos. The commissioner stressed the role of community pharmacies and patent medicine stores as the first points of contact for residents with fever, urging quality-assured malaria rapid diagnostic tests to be available at these outlets.

He cautioned against automatically treating fever as malaria, stating that a negative malaria test should trigger further investigation rather than the immediate use of another medication. Abayomi emphasized that the policy aims to encourage accurate diagnosis, responsible medicine use, and better healthcare, while also helping to reduce unnecessary consumption of antibiotics and protect Lagos from unnecessary antibiotic use.