BENIN CITY- LAPO has intensified malaria awareness campaign and screening services in target communities across the country towards mitigating the impact and spread of the disease.
The Executive Director, Sabina Idowu-Osehobo disclosed this during its 2015 World Malaria Day celebration held nationwide under the theme, “Invest In the Future: Defeat Malaria.”
She noted that the organisations’ malaria intervention programme has saved the lives of beneficiaries, reduced school absenteeism, alleviated poverty as well as improved maternal and child health.
Idowu-Osehobo expressed worry that malaria is still a leading cause of death of childen and pregnant women and a primary cause of miscarriages, maternal anaemia, low birth weight, abortion and still births in the country despite efforts by government and Roll Back Malaria Partners to combat it.
She said Nigeria might be unable to attain the 75% malaria reduction target and deaths by end of 2015 and therefore called on countries and stakeholders to target resources at people and groups with the highest risk as the world awaits the development of a malaria vaccine.
In her lecture on behalf of Dr. Omokhoa Adeleye of the University of Benin, Dr. Otas Obarisiagbon said clean environment remained the best safeguard against malaria and advised patients against self-medication due to the danger inherent in such practice.
Highpoint of the occasion was the distribution of Long Lasting Insecticide-treated bed nets and enlightenment materials to participants as well as free screening for malaria.