A forthnight ago, Akwa Ibom state played host to the lauch of a night watch campaign in Uyo the state capital. The event was organized in partnership with Mobil Producing Nigeria joint venture. The aim according to its organizers is to ensure that the scourge of malaria is completely wiped out in the state through the fight against mosquitoes.
One of the leaders of the forum Karo Umukoro while giving an expose on why the event was called a night watch launch but held in the day argued that it is when we sleep at nights that mosquitoes come to feed on us and the female anopheles mosquitoes that cause the disease often has a field day to inflict us with the sickness. The event had attracted seasoned professionals who had more than enough reasons to explain on why mosquitoes should not be encouraged to live. The data bank of the deaths that has been caused by mosquitoes was released. It was observed that the infants’ mortality rate as a result of mosquitoes attack was tremendously high. And it should be the duty of every single person to ensure that mosquito is completely eradicated in the society towards a better living of humans.
Mr. John Arkley who is the general manager of Joint Venture operations, Mobil Producing Nigeria was represented by Dr Suzan Dim. In his address, he observed that Mobil Producing Nigeria is are delighted to partner with Malaria No More, who will coordinate the campaign with support from the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health and Roll Back Malaria (RBM), Akwa Ibom State – the relevant government agency responsible for eliminating malaria in the State. Nightwatch aims to improve public behaviour around malaria prevention by focusing awareness for use of long lasting treated bed nets and other treatments.
Through our longstanding work in Africa, ExxonMobil has witnessed the devastating health and economic impact of malaria. Despite being both preventable and treatable, malaria continues to kill approximately 627,000 people a year, most of them children under the age of five.
Today, malaria is still a major public health problem in Nigeria, where it accounts for more cases and deaths than any other country in the world. It also contributes significantly to an estimated 11% of maternal mortality in Nigeria and remains a risk for 97% of Nigeria’s population.
Speaking further, he said, that’s why for the past 13 years, ExxonMobil has been working with partners around the world to combat malaria. These programs have reached more than 105 million people in Africa and the Pacific Rim.
He maintained that working with partners, they have helped have distribute more than 13 million bed nets and administered more than 2 million anti-malarial treatments and diagnostic tests, making us a corporate leader in the global fight against malaria.
John Arkley also added that Exxon Mobil intends to ensure that their fight against malaria is total.
Governor Godswill Akpabio who was represented by the State Commissioner for Health Dr. EmemAbasi Bassey expressed appreciation to the company for the initiative. He regretted that malaria has been the bane of sub Saharan Africa and reiterated Government decision to ensure that the dreaded scourge is completely wiped away in Akwa Ibom State. Earlier the state Governor had taken out time to list the different interventions of Government in the health Sector and has maintained that Government will not be tired in fighting the battle against mosquito.
The Regional Manager of Exxon Mobil Mike Phinley expressed appreciation to the Government of the state for allowing them a conducive atmosphere to host the event. He noted that it is a challenge that is before Africa that the effects of malaria should be reduced to the barest minimum if not completely eradicated. He reiterated the decision of the company to do all they can to ensure that the war against malaria continues. He urged the people to make some claps and assumed that at least some mosquitoes have been killed. Phinley urged the people to always ensure that they sleep on treated mosquito nets and also task the people to always ensure that they live in a clean environment that is devoid of dirt.
Dayo Oluwole who is the country Director of Malaria no more admonished the people that the war against Malaria is total in Malaria no more and that their plans are to ensure that the death rates as caused by mosquito is reduced to the least possible number if not completely eradicated and added that Nigeria as a giant of Africa needs to live above the effects and attacks from malaria. Oluwole maintained that the partnership against malaria will work and mosquito bites will soon be a thing of the past in the country even as he called on the press to take the message of the fight against mosquito to all the nooks and crannies of the society. Oluwole also admonished the people on the proper use of mosquito nets.
Dr. John Orok who is the representative of Roll Back malaria admonished the people on the need to ensure that there are no comfortable environments for mosquitoes to thrive as according to him, when the environment are not conducive to mosquitoes, they will not in any way go near such environment.
He called on the people to make good use of Government’s intervention in the use of the materials listed by government for the fight against mosquitoes. he appreciated Mobil’s efforts in the fight against the scourge of malaria and promised that Roll Back malaria will leave no stone unturned in its fight against malaria and mosquito.
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