Ambode’s wife tasks mothers on malaria prevention

• NGO sensitises 5,000 persons monthly in Akwa Ibom

Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode has advised mothers and aspiring mothers to prevent malaria rather than cure it. She gave the advice when she visited Mrs. Segun Akinmosin who gave birth to triplets at the Epe General Hospital on the occasion of the 2017 World Malaria Day.

She said this year’s theme: “A Push for Prevention,” was a clear indication that prevention was cheaper and better than cure.Ambode advocated the use of mosquitoes treated nets, which was most effective in preventing malaria and which accounts for an estimated 69 percent of cases prevented through control tools.

She said the administration in the state held the health needs of Lagos residents in high esteem, adding that maternal health would continue to be a priority, while also advising mothers and their children to sleep under treated nets.

The First Lady of Lagos State disclosed that the inclusion of mosquito nets besides other gift items for the babies was a deliberate, life-saving malaria prevention technique.

A representative of the Medical Director of Epe General Hospital, Dr. Jolaosho Adekunle and parents of the triplets, Mr. and Mrs. Segun Akinmosin, expressed appreciation to Mrs. Ambode, stressing that her largesse could not have come at a better time.

Malaria prevention had played an important role in reducing cases and deaths since 2000, primarily through increased usage of insecticide treated nets and spraying of homes with insecticides.

World Malaria Day was established in May 2007 by the 60th Session of the World Health Assembly, a decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO is highlighting prevention as a critical strategy for reducing malaria, which continues to kill more people annually.

Meanwhile, the Health Communication Capacity Collaborative [HC3], a non-governmental organization (NGO) working on malaria prevention in Akwa Ibom State has sensitised no fewer than 5,000 persons monthly on malaria control.

The state coordinator of HC3, Bassey Nsa disclosed this yesterday in Uyo while interacting with journalists at the occasion of the 2017 World Malaria Day. He said 5,000 individuals were reached monthly through house-to-house visits by 270 community volunteers across nine local government councils of the state.

He noted that the volunteers trained the people on the need to use long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) correctly and also educated them on personal hygiene and environmental sanitation.