RSG Explains MoU With ECOWAS

Rivers State Commis
sioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker has explained that the memorandum of Understanding (MoU), between the state government and eth Economic Community of West African States Secretariat will include the construction of a factory to produce anti-mosquito larvas, biolavicules under the ECOWAS malaria elimination campaign,.
Speaking on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency Karre Dasier Ouedrogo, Vice President Toga Gayewea Mclintosh, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to the elimination of malaria scourge in the region.
“We still have a long way to go but we are gradually moving on the right path. Wish to reassure the government and people of Rivers State that we will do all within our power to ensure the successful implementation of this project,” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, the Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker, who signed on behalf of Governor Amaechi said the MoU and other efforts by ECOWAS were bold statements by the region of its determination to ensure malaria.
He pledged the government’s total commitment and desire to complete the project during the tenure of Governor Chubuike Amaechi.
The agreement signed in Abuja last Tuesday is a follow up of the Tripparties accord which ECOWAS signed in 2009 with Cuba and Venexuela for the setting up of three biolarvicide factories in three ECOWAS member states of Cote D’Ivorie, Nigeria and Ghana for the supply of the product across the region as a means of strengthening the vector control strategy for malaria.
The foundation stone laying ceremonies for the factories have already taken place in Yamoussoukro and Port Harcourt with that of Ghana expected next month.
Under the Tripartite Agreement, Venezuela and Cuba would provide the financial and technical support as well as technology transfer for the establishment of the biolarvicide factories, to make the product readily available for use in the regional fight against mosquitoes for the elimination of malaria from the region as happened in Latin American countries.
The multi-sectorial regional campaign with a robust communication and social mobilization component, envisages mass public enlightenment on the benefits of environmental sanitation, training on the effective use of biolarvicides and possible involvement of military personnel for large scale larviciding/spraying across the region.
Biolarvicides are safe substances sprayed to destroy mosquitoes in the larval stage of their development.

Tonye Nria-Dappa