#EndMalariaInNigeria

PRESS RELEASE

27TH July 2023

#EndMalariaInNigeria IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MALARIA PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL (MPI), ROTARY CLUB OF KWALE (NEW DAWN )AND HATCH PEST CONTROL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE LTD. UNVEIL A MOSQUITO CONTROL INTERVENTION AMONG 300 PREGNANT AND NURSING WOMEN IN NDOKWA WEST LGA, KWALE, DELTA STATE.

THEME: “ATTACK MOSQUITO TO ATTACK MALARIA “

#EndMalariaInNigeria and its partners, Malaria Partners International (MPI), Rotary Club of Kwale (New Dawn), and Hatch Pest Control and Environmental Service Ltd, unveiled a mosquito control program among 300 pregnant and nursing women in Ndokwa West LGA, Kwale, Delta State, yesterday 26th July 2023.

The unveiling event was held in Ndokwa Local Government Secretariat Hall, and attended by various dignitaries who gave Goodwill remarks at the unveiling event.

Mrs Joyce Okonye who is the Supervisor for Health; Ndokwa West Local and representative of the Local Government Chairman, appreciated the intervention of the partnership and said Malaria is a huge challenge that need serious drastic solution to combat.

The Immediate past President of the Rotary Club of Kwale (New Dawn) Mrs. Juliet Onakpovhie in her opening Speech appreciated the Convener of #EndMalariaInNigeria and MD of Hatch Pest Control and Environmental Service Ltd alongside MPI for the intervention and support, stating that Malaria is a huge burden in Ndokwa West LGA of Kwale especially among pregnant and nursing women which necessitated the intervention.

Also, the President of Rotary Club of Kwale (New Dawn) Mr. Alexander Osademe in his Goodwill remarks appreciated #EndMalariaInNigeria, MPI, and Hatch Pest Control and Environmental Service Ltd for the initiative, he went on to enumerate such several interventions Rotary Club is known for and encourage people to join the club.

The NULGE Chairman (Comrade Ikechukwu Opone) made it clear that a poor drainage system allows water to gather and provides breeding spaces for mosquitoes to thrive. He called on the government to ensure a proper drainage system.

Sanitarian Clement Okonye, the Deputy HOD of the Environmental Health Department of Ndokwa LGA, who represented the HOD and the registrar of EHCON Dr. Mohammed Baba Yakubu, reiterated the need for proper Sanitation, cutting of weeds, not clogging drainages and construction of modern drainage so as not to provide breeding sites for mosquito. He went on to appreciate #EndMalariaInNigeria and other partners for the initiative.

The highlight of the event was the key Note Address delivered by the Convener #EndMalariaInNigeria and MD of Hatch Pest Control and Environmental Service Ltd, PCO Francis Nwapa, who first appreciated Malaria Partners International (MPI) for the partnership and the host Rotary Club. He stated that the aim of the campaign is to redirect Malaria elimination interventions from curative to preventive and quit cosmetic approaches.

He gave a historical background of how Dr. Ronald Ross discovered that the Mosquito is the vector that transmits Malaria as far back as 1880. This discovery is recently being remembered every August 20th by Environmental Health professionals as World Mosquito Day.

He pointed out certain historical preventive actions taken to curtail mosquitoes during the construction of the Panama Canal and how over 22, 000 lives were lost during the construction of Mosquito.

He said If African countries like Lesotho, Mauritius, Algeria Libya, Egypt, LA Reunion, Seychelles, and Tunisia have been declared malaria-free, then Nigeria can put an end to the over 200, 000 deaths caused by malaria. Just this year 2023, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, and Belize have been declared Malaria free by the World Health Organization. A country is granted malaria-free certification by WHO when the country proves that it has interrupted indigenous transmission of the disease for at least 3 consecutive years.

He also used the occasion of Mosquito Talk 0.2, to call on the government, Federal, State, and Local, to immediately mobilize Environmental health professionals in coming up with National environmental health and water management plan that will address drainage and Dams construction, construction of the sanitary landfill, etc as a direct process of fighting mosquito in Nigeria and that Government should invest in primary health care and improve remuneration for health workers, adequately fund Nigeria vaccine development laboratory, Nigeria Institute of medical research, and also establish and adequately fund research centers in Universities across the nation.

The event was anchored by Mr. Babatunde Oluajo, a member of the #EndMalariaInNigeria team, and had 106 attendance.

The event was closed with the unveiling ceremony and photographs.

Fidel Daniel

For: #EndMalariaInNigeria