While diseases are worldwide, some tend to be more prominent in certain regions or countries than others.
This varying prominence may be attributed to series of factors like climatic conditions, sanitation practices, population, illiteracy level, access to healthcare, etc.
Here are three common diseases terrorising the Nigerian population for generations.
1. Malaria
Malaria takes the lead as the most common disease in Nigeria. It is caused by a plasmodium parasite and is often transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito.
The 2022 World Malaria Report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) showed Nigeria recorded 66.7 million malaria cases and 191,890 malaria deaths, more than any other country, in 2021.
2. Lower respiratory infections
Lower respiratory infections (bronchitis, pneumonia, and tuberculosis) are caused by viral or bacterial infections in the lower respiratory tract.
The disease is responsible for deaths in children much more than any other disease, as it is responsible for about 20% of the mortality of children under 5 years in Nigeria.
Over 162,000 children died from pneumonia in Nigeria in 2018, making it the highest in the world at the time, according to UNICEF.
3. HIV/AIDS
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) attacks the immune system and renders it defenseless against other diseases. HIV/AIDS continues to be a major public health challenge in Nigeria.
A statistical study showing countries with the most people living with HIV ranked Nigeria fourth globally, with approximately 1.8 million people at the end of 2022.
HIV leads to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) if not treated, and about 51,000 AIDS-related deaths were recorded in Nigeria in 2021.
Other common disease in Nigeria
Diarrheal diseases
Typhoid
Heart disease
Stroke
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