Shell Unveils Malaria Intervention Programme,Today

As parts of its Corporate Social  Responsibility to its operational areas, the Shell Petroleum  Development Company (SPDC) in Rivers State is  set to declare open the Malaria Intervention Programme in Mbodu-Aluu Community in Ikwerre  Local Government Area, today.
The Regional Community Health Manager, SPDC, Dr Akinwumi Fajola, revealed this in his  goodwill message at the World Malaria Day celebration in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Represented by the  Chief Pharmacist,  Regional Community Health Services Department, SPDC, Fajola noted that the company  had been a major partner of the state government in the fight against malaria, stating that this was  another  initiative  to speed up the year 2020 target to end  Malaria in the State.
Fajola, who noted with dismay the low percentage of only 32 per cent users of the insecticide-treated nets out of the  75 per cent of people having it in the state, however, stressed  the need for  more sensitisation and awareness to achieving  the target.
Speaking to The Tide on the sideline of the event,  the Public Health Nurse, Regional  Community  Health Services Department, SPDC Rosemary Isiekwena, said  the choice of the community was as a result of its  high malaria cases report.
Isiekwena, said that the programme was a comprehensive health  outreach focusing on malaria eradication.
She said, “Mbodu-Aluu is one of our operational centres and as part of our social responsibility in the area of health, we are embarking on a comprehensive health outreach, and this time, the focus is on  malaria eradication”.
Among other communities, this community has a high report on malaria cases. As a way of intervention, we  have invited  the community for sensitisation,  we selected some households, and have started  fixing mosquito nets to their  doors,  we have  received questionnaires on the incidence of malaria,  and today, we will be declaring open  the malaria eradication programme”.
Isiekwena expressed hope that the programme would serve as the beginning of the ending of malaria in the community, and the state at large.

Lady Godknows Ogbulu