06 August 2013, Uyo – ExxonMobil has restated its commitment to continue to work with Akwa Ibom State and other relevant government agencies and reputable non-government organisations to eradicate malaria in the state.
Managing Director of Mobil Producing Nigeria, MPN, and Lead Country Manager of ExxonMobil Subsidiary Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Mark R. Ward, made the pledge at end-of-project dissemination of community direct interventions for the prevention and control of malaria in pregnancy, MIP, and children in Akwa Ibom State.
The programme was jointly sponsored by ExxonMobil, John Hopkin’s Programme of International Education in Gynaecology and Obstetrics, JHPIEGO, Akwa Ibom State Government, and Ellicott Dredges Company.
The event tagged: “Saving the Lives of Women and Children” was held to mark the end of a programme that started in 2007 in four local government areas (LGAs) but was later increased to six LGAs in the state.
Ward represented by Manager, Medicine & Occupational Health of MPN, Mr. Ayodele Fagbemi, stated ExxonMobil would remain committed to eradicating malaria as it recognised that it had left debilitating effect on the socio-economic well-being of any nation.
He said the foundation had so far spent over N157 million in grant and services to fight malaria in 16 malaria endemic countries and this makes it the largest non-pharmaceutical company donor to malaria control.
According to him, ExxonMobil that had been working with local and international partners “is committed to reducing malaria impact through prevention, education and treatment.”
Ward noted the project result had shown that community-based programmes could increase access to malaria prevention and control and also increase healthcare services.
“The project has donated six microscopes for diagnosis of malaria parasites, six hemocue blood analysers for proper investigation of anaemia in pregnancy to health facilities in the LGAs that the project was carried out.
“In Nigeria ExxonMobil is working with local and international partners to fight malaria as it has provided 80,000 long-lasting insecticides treated nets in seven states of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross River, Delta, Imo, Ondo and Lagos since 2009”, he said.
Ward appreciated all stakeholders in their efforts to give Nigerians good health through the programme and for ExxonMobil to sustain the programme to meet the MDGs goals of Vision 20:20:20.
On its part, the Akwa Ibom State Government said it would not relent in its commitment to support all intervention programmes on health to minimise the burden of malaria in pregnancy in the state.
The state government observed malaria remained major health problem that had always affected the socio-economic potentials of the socio-economic potentials of the state especially as it concerned the vulnerable group of under five years children and pregnant mothers.
– This Day