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Chevron, NNPC partner to eradicate malaria in Lagos

By Victoria Njoku
03 December 2015   |   12:22 am
TO attain considerable success in the effort to rid the state of malaria, improve the quality of life and promote healthy living among the people, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in collaboration with Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) has launched the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) programme. Permanent Secretary Primary Health Care Board, Kayode Oguntimeyin, who…
Malaria transmitting mosquito

Malaria transmitting mosquito

TO attain considerable success in the effort to rid the state of malaria, improve the quality of life and promote healthy living among the people, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in collaboration with Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) has launched the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) programme.

Permanent Secretary Primary Health Care Board, Kayode Oguntimeyin, who represented Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Dr. Jide Idris, while expressing his delight at the launch of the malaria elimination programme in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, recently, said that the government is determined to eliminate the ‘killer’ disease that causes high morbidity and mortality among children under the age of five and pregnant women.

“The State government is determined to continue with the malaria elimination programme especially the Integrated Vector Management. Towards achieving this in the sate, there is need for support from the Organised Private Sector (OPS) as we are witnessing today.

“I need to state that these interventions are being implemented by the Lagos State Ministry of Health through the Lagos State Malaria Research and Technical Committee (LASMARTAC). The committee has a mandate of providing technical and advisory support for all malaria elimination activities in the state,” he said.

Oguntimeyin further said that the CNL is highly commendable and recommends similar gestures to other corporate entities that have not been involved in supporting health care interventions in the state.

Also speaking at the event, General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Deji Haastrup who was represented by Sunday Okegbemiro said that the RBM programme involves training of health workers and community people on baseline prevention and treatment of malaria, preventive strategies including the use of long lasting insecticide treated nets and chemoprophylaxis for pregnant women, conduct of baseline/mapping assessment on the health structures, providers and facility based baseline malaria data review, among others.

Haastrup further highlighted the various projects embarked upon with the government over the years.

“Over the years, we have successfully partnered with the state to implement various programmes in the areas of health, education, empowerment and environment. Some of the projects are the donations of Chest Clinic and equipment to St. Kizito’s Clinic in Lekki, to fight tuberculosis and other infections common to HIV/AIDS patients; donation of medical equipment to Massey Children’s hospital, medical waste incinerator to Epe General Hospital and upgrading of Okun-Afa Medical Centre all in Lagos.

“Other health programmes implemented by NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture with Lagos state include HIV/AIDS testing campaign in Badagry and mass de-worming exercise fro school children in Alimosho, Kosofe, Ikorodu, Epe, Eti-Osa and Ibeju-Lekki Local.

Government Areas respectively the company has also executed RBM awareness campaign in Ojo, Oshodi, Ikeja and Epe and also donated a molecular biology research laboratory to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), the laboratory that detected the first case of Ebola virus in Nigeria thereby contributing to the country’s ability to control the spread of the dreaded disease.

The G.M also added that the disease is preventable as well as can be eradicated.

According to him, “One good news though, malaria is preventable. It can be treated and even eradicated. That is why we have been partnering with relevant organisations and state governments to deploy the RBM in various parts of the country as part of our company’s health intervention initiatives.

Meanwhile, the Group General Manager of National Petroleum Investment Management Services, Dafe Sejebor who said that Nigeria has a high prevalent rate of the disease urged all to participate actively in the programme so as to meet with the said objectives and collectively check the menace in our communities.

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