Governor Ambode's Wife Bolanle Marks This Year World Malaria Day In Makoko Slum

Governor Ambode's Wife Bolanle Marks This Year World Malaria Day In Makoko Slum

Mrs Bolanle Ambode, Wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Akinwumi Ambode, has urged Lagosians and Nigerians in general, to be more concerned with the approach of preventing rather than curing malaria infections. 

The Governor's wife made the disclosure in Oregun in Ikeja, Lagos, when her pet project, Hope for Women in Nigeria Initiative (HOFOWEM), distributed over 3000 insecticide-treated nets, at Makoko community, Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), as part of activities to mark 2018 World Malaria Day.

Mrs Ambode said; “We cannot fold our arms and allow malaria to continue to ravage our society. This epidemic has claimed too many lives, whether in our country, Africa or the world in general. Thank God it is not a disease without prevention or cure, and since it has both, the best approach is to prevent it.

“The World Health Organization tells us that more than 400,000 malaria deaths still occur annually, and at least one child dies of the infection every two minutes around the world, this is bad enough. It cannot go on this way, we need to scale down the ugly trend, by doing more to prevent rather than chase after cure.”

The first lady of Lagos noted further that the theme for this year, ‘End Malaria for Good’ was attainable, if governments, NGOs, stakeholders and individuals, work together to combat the epidemic.

She specifically appealed for more investment in malaria prevention, as well as greater funding for malaria control in endemic countries, stressing that this would aid the attainment of WHO’s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria projection of 40 per cent reduction in cases and deaths by 2020.

Addressing the community members, Chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area, Hon. Kayode Omiyale, thanked the founder of HOFOWEM foundation, for celebrating 2018 World Malaria Day with the community.

He appealed that their environment should be kept clean at all times to avoid breeding mosquitoes, and that personal and community hygiene should be taken as a priority.





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