Not Every Fever Is Malaria, UNILAG Professor Urges Nigerians to Embrace Proper Testing Before Treatment

(Professor Wellington Oyibo. Photo by The Sun Nigeria)

Professor Wellington Oyibo, the director of the Center for Transdisciplinary Research in Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases at the University of Lagos, Yaba, has urged Nigerians to adopt testing prior to treatment in order to improve diagnosis and care. He has declared that rapid diagnostic tests are just as reliable as laboratory microscopy.

The malaria expert bemoaned the lack of confidence and disdain that individuals and even some healthcare professionals have for quick tests, saying that this leads to self-diagnosis, overdiagnosis, improper treatment of malaria, and missed identification of other illnesses that appear with similar symptoms.

Speaking at a webinar hosted by the PidomNigeria Media Foundation in honor of World Malaria Day in 2026, Oyibo claimed that a precise diagnosis is still essential because symptoms often linked to malaria are not exclusive to the illness and may be caused by other infections.

He pointed out that a lot of Nigerians still believe that every fever is caused by malaria, which he claimed compromises precise diagnosis and efficient treatment.

“Many infectious diseases share symptoms like headache, fever, and general weakness.” We will overdiagnose, overtreat, and fail to identify the true cause of the sickness if we presume it is malaria without testing, according to Oyibo.

He emphasized that due to the advent of resistance to once-effective medications like chloroquine, the World Health Organization had been recommending mandatory confirmation of malaria through testing prior to treatment since 2010.

The don stated that both rapid diagnostic tests and microscopy are useful diagnostic methods, emphasizing that the latter, in particular, may be used at all levels of healthcare and provides fast, point-of-care results.

“The confidence in quick diagnostic tests is one of the issues. I want to emphasize that laboratory microscopy is just as good as quick diagnostic tests. There shouldn’t be any doubt about their efficacy because they are dependable and, in certain situations, even more constant,” he stated.

However, the professor noted that improper use and a lack of confidence were the main obstacles limiting the use of RDTs, cautioning that incorrect testing procedures or a disregard for the data could result in contradictory diagnoses and poor patient outcomes.

Oyibo added that not testing prior to therapy has contributed to widespread overdiagnosis of malaria in Nigeria, with many patients treating themselves based on symptoms alone.

The researcher on malaria added that such practices not only lead to misuse of antimalarial drugs but also result in poor health outcomes for patients whose actual illnesses remain untreated.

He stated, “It is likely that we will continue to overdiagnose and overtreat malaria when diagnosis is based on how patients feel rather than proper testing.”

Oyibo went on to say that increasing access to high-quality testing is crucial, emphasizing that diagnostic services ought to be offered at all points of care, such as community pharmacies, suppliers of patent medications, and medical facilities.

Additionally, he emphasized the necessity of appropriate testing protocols and quality control, cautioning that subpar testing could provide contradictory findings and erode system credibility.

“To ensure effective case management, quality of testing, access to testing, and appropriate use of these tools are very critical,” the professor continued.

The malaria expert cautioned that using antimalarial medications carelessly without a diagnosis could hasten drug resistance and put undue strain on currently available medications.

He highlighted the extent of misdiagnosis by revealing that more than 95% of those who think they have malaria might not actually need treatment, using data from Lagos.

“Where malaria prevalence is already low, like in Lagos, what we are seeing is that over 95 per cent of people who think they have malaria may not need treatment. This shows the importance of proper testing.”

In order to improve monitoring, guarantee high-quality care, and advance Nigeria’s efforts to eradicate malaria, Oyibo urged strict adherence to testing, treatment, and tracking protocols.

He emphasized that testing is still the sole accurate method of determining malaria infection and advised Nigerians to avoid self-diagnosis and seek appropriate medical examination.