Stakeholders harp on environmental cleanliness to eradicate malaria

The World Health Organisation (WHO), Enugu State Government, and the Association of Civil Society Organisations in Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN) have called on Nigerians to keep their environment clean to eradicate malaria.

They stated this during an event to mark “2023 Malaria Day”, organised by the Enugu State Government, in partnership with the WHO and ACOMIN on Tuesday in Enugu. The newsmen reports that World Malaria Day is celebrated annually on April 25 to raise awareness on global efforts to control the spread of the disease and celebrate strides on efforts to eradicate it. This year’s theme is “Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement”.

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Speaking at the event, the WHO Head of Mission and Representative in Nigeria, Kazadi Mulombo, said there was need for Nigerians to keep their surroundings clean to reduce malaria in the country.

Mulombo, represented by the State Coordinator, WHO, Enugu State, Dr Chika Okoro, said for total eradication of malaria, people should avoid leaving bushes, stagnant water in their homes and make use of insecticide treated net.

“When you are sick, go to hospital and avoid self medications. I think when we do all these, we will be far from mosquitoes,” he said.

He, however, appealed to Nigerians to accept and get vaccinated when the new vaccine for malaria is rolled out, stressing that Nigerian governments had been doing well in partnership with WHO and other organisations to reduce the burden of malaria in the country.

According to him, a lot has been done by governments in Nigeria, especially with the recent approval of malaria vaccine by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

“So we are here today to support Enugu State Ministry of Health with some malaria testing kits for rapid diagnose of malaria, T-Shirts and Caps and banner with imprint of Enugu State boldly written on them,” Mulombo said.

Receiving the items, the Director, Public Health and Disease Control, Enugu State, Dr Boniface Okoro, thanked WHO for their continuous support in all their activities, stressing that it was not easy to find partners that would always help when need arises.

Mrs Obiageri Agbo, the Enugu State Malaria Programme Manager, added that the state had been playing a big role to eradicate malaria in Enugu through various sensitisation programmes like health talk, education of residents on environmental sanitation.

She admonished people to dispose empty cans around their buildings, especially “now that we were in the rainy season,” adding “one can get malaria when bitten by mosquitoes.”

Agbo emphaised the need for people to visit hospitals whenever they have sign of malaria, saying that signs and symptoms of malaria were similar to other diseases.

Also speaking, the State Coordinator, ACOMIN, Enugu State, Florence Ifeanyi-Aneke, said that the group was partnering Enugu State Ministry of Health and other agencies to fight malaria in the state.

According to her, to deliver zero malaria in the state, all hands must be on desk and 2023 World Malaria Day had given them the opportunity to fight the endemic.

“We, therefore, urge the people of Enugu State to keep their environments clean, sleep under insecticide treated mosquitoes nets as well as clear bushes around their houses to avoid grooming mosquitoes,” she advised.