As Nigerians join the rest of the world to celebrate this year’s World Malaria Day, an international day commemorated every 25 April to recognise global efforts to control malaria, the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Ipaja, Dopemu, Egbeda, and Akowonjo (IDEA) Zone has organised a Walk-Against-Malaria campaign to Temidire Market, Dopemu, to sensitise the traders on how to prevent malaria.
The Walk-Against-Malaria campaign, which took off from Deyo Pharmacy, Dopemu, the premises of one of the respected pharmacists in the country, Pharm. Deji Osinoiki, had a brief stopover at the Alimosho Local Council Secretariat, where the team was received by the executive chairman of the council, Hon. Jelili Sulaimon, who was represented by the Chief Medical Officer of the council, Dr. Titilayo Oni.
While addressing workers at the secretariat, the Zonal Coordinator, ACPN, IDEA Zone, Pharm. Ismail Kola Sunmonu, who spoke on the theme for this year’s celebration, ‘Ready to Beat Malaria’, emphasised the need to join hands in order to eradicate malaria completely. This, he said, can only be achieved by massive sensitisation.
“We know that malaria is very endemic and very dangerous especially to the young ones and the pregnant women. We are here today to sensitise you on the essence of the prevention, treatment and total eradication of malaria, especially in the Sub- Saharan part of the world. We are one of the stakeholders in the industry as community pharmacists and that’s why we are joining the world to celebrate this day,” he said.
Speaking further, Pharm. Sunmonu stressed the need to keep the environment clean and avoid stagnant water, where mosquitoes breed near residences, saying malaria is a disease that is transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. He furthered stated that the disease is caused by Plasmodium parasites, saying two of the parasite species that cause malaria in humans pose the greatest threat.
Addressing the market women, who came out in their numbers to listen to them, Pharm. Lawrence Ekhator, who represented the ACPN chairman, Lagos State, Pharm. Olabanji Benedict Obideyi told them to be wary of stagnant water and over grown grasses, adding that these were the usual breeding sites for mosquitoes, which can spread plasmodium that is responsible for causing malaria.
He also described malaria as a disease which infects the red blood cells and is characterised by fever, body ache, chills and sweating, adding that of the four species that cause malaria, plasmodium falciparum is the most serious and can cause serious complications.
While appreciating the association for organising the campaign, Elder Ramoni Olusheye, the Babaloja of Temidire Dopemu Market, thanked the ACPN profusely for organising such laudable programme, saying such comes once in a blue moon. She however urged the pharmacists to visit the market again for more programme of that nature, as they will always be welcomed.
, Ipaja, Dopemu, Egbeda, and Akowonjo (IDEA) Zone has organised a Walk-Against-Malaria campaign to Temidire Market, Dopemu, to sensitise the traders on how to prevent malaria.){kind=link}