World Malaria Day: NGO Wants Special Funding For Malaria

A non- governmental organisation ,Erens Ekpirikpo Health Foundation has tasked both the State and Federal Government to create special funding and agency to tackle malaria.
It also disclosed plans says  to tackle malaria menace in two rural communities of Ngo and Edoha in Rivers State.
Founder and President of the foundation, Erens-Spiff Ekpirikpo gave the indication during a special colloquium to mark the World Malaria Day Monday in Port Harcourt.
He said the target is to reach 1000 persons in the first phase, as many people in the rural areas are faced with the challenge of poor enlightenment and lack of resources to tackle malaria.
Mr. Ekpirikpo stressed the need to enlighten the rural populace, distribute mosquito repellent nets, and free medicals as key measures to be adopted by the body.
Government on the need to create special funding for malaria, Ekpirikpo observed that if the attention that was given to Covid19 was given to malaria, by now the death rates from malaria would have been reduced drastically.
On his part, an expert in Haematology and lecturer in Rivers State University, Dr. Azunwo Obiomah in his paper, “Facts and Myths of Covid19” stated that more people die from malaria than Covid19.
Dr. Obioma said the target of eradicating malaria by the federal government will be a mirage as poor funding, lack of testing kits coupled with ignorance from the populace are still high.
As far as he was concerned malaria kills more than Covid19, and as such should be given serious attention.
The university lecturer urged the populace to take measured steps in preventing malaria scourge, and eschew from taking concoctions that do not cure malaria.

By: Kevin Nengia