– Sensitizes Ogu/Bolo in Rivers
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has sensitized the people of Ogu/Bolo against malaria, saying that its target was rural dwellers who may not have access to adequate healthcare.
The sensitization saw to the distribution of treated mosquito nets, malaria tests, and distribution of anti-malarial medicines, as well as health talks bordering on prevention of malaria.
The Managing Director of NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, speaking in Ogu, Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State, said the sensitization would be carried out across its nine mandate states, noting that it has already been done in Abia, Delta, and Imo States.
Ogbuku, represented by an Assistant Director from Education, Health and Social Services Department in NDDC, Dr. Asela Agala, said the program was imperative to mark the 2024 World Malaria Day, regretting that malaria was a killer, particularly to children under the age of five years.
He said, “We came here to sensitize the people of Ogu/Bolo about malaria. This should have been done in Port Harcourt but we felt, people in the rural areas need this sensitization more.
So we came to tell them about malaria.
“Malaria kills the majority of our population, mostly children between 0-5 years and pregnant women, so that is why we are here to tell the people about the dangers of malaria, as well as how to manage and prevent malaria.
“The sensitization is going around the nine mandates states of the federation. It has been done in Abia State, Imo, and Delta States. But our target is the rural communities, who may not have access to healthcare.
“We have other plans for malaria, we are also planning to have the vaccines. Once NAFDAC certifies the vaccines, we will get the vaccines and distribute them to communities.”
Earlier, an Obstetrician Gynaecologist at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Dr George Ela, urged pregnant women to sleep under treated mosquito nets, to prevent malaria since their immunity was lower during pregnancy.
Ela also emphasized environmental sanitation, noting that mosquitoes breed on stagnant water and dirty surroundings.
“For malaria prevention, pregnant women must sleep under insecticide-treated mosquito nets. They must take preventive therapy for malaria which is done with the use of sulfadoxine pyrimethamine from the fourth month of pregnancy and it’s given to them every four weeks until they deliver.
“And those who have malaria must go to the hospital for proper treatment, because malaria can cause miscarriage and death of the baby inside the womb, since the immunity of the pregnant woman is lower and so they’re vulnerable to malaria attack. Environmental sanitation is also important because mosquitoes breed on stagnant water.”
Speaking to newsmen, one of the beneficiaries of the NDDC malaria sensitization program who got anti-malarial drugs, treated mosquito nets, etc, Mrs. Rose Sokari, commended the agency for the program.
“I am very grateful for this program today that NDDC has remembered Ogu/Bolo through our brother Chief Boma Iyaye. May God bless them and may many more NDDC projects and programs come to Ogu.”
