WORLD MALARIA DAY : ACPN Tasks LASG To Improve On Sanitation Policies

As part of efforts to eradicate malaria from Lagos State, the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (APCN) , Ikotun Zone ,Thursday called on health authorities in the state to put in place stringent measures to improve on sanitation situation within.

The Association also disclosed  that there has been a massive reduction in malaria sickness in the state but stressed the need for residents to ensure a cleaner and safer environment.

Speaking  with journalists shortly after a road sensitisation and awareness rally in commemoration of the 2019 World Malaria Day campaign within the   Ejigbo-Idimu  axis of the state, Chairman, Ikotun Zone of ACPN ,Pharmacist Fazazee Taofik said previous awareness campaign has made significant impact to the  people in the communities.

Taofik stressed the need for government to  improve on the environmental condition of the state especially in the densely populated communities.

The Chairman  affirmed that the campaign was aimed at sensitising the people of the communities on how to reduce the spread of malaria diseases , even as he called on Nigerians to make personal commitment to end the illness.

The Pharmacist said that data collection has been a continuous thing to enrich the database of the association and the world body(WHO), pointing out that the association has introduced training of members and doctors to effectively monitor and manage the disease.

On the importance of the initiative,he averred that with the introduction of the data base collation, the society would be able to identity the number of persons affected with the disease thus  government can understand the areas or community with the highest affected cases of malaria.

Speaking on the theme “Zero Malaria Starts With Me,”  the Chairman reiterated that :”We have embarked on teaching our communities on how to keep our environment clean to prevent the spread of malaria.

“Stagnant waters and gutters attract mosquitoes and some people are ignorant about this, but we have been able to make them understand that this is a major cause of the disease.

‘Again,the use of mosquito treated nets play a key role to the prevention and reduction of malaria in our communities.

April 25th is a date set aside to celebrate  World Malaria Day globally.

Also speaking ,Chairperson , Drug Information Centre (DIC) , ACPN,Pharmacist Folorunsho Bukola affirmed that “Its not every fever cases can be referred to malaria. We need to use malaria drug  rationally so that we can element malaria from our society completely.

Folorunsho said the community practitioners are seriously engaged to eradicate the spread of malaria from the society, calling on those affected with the disease to undergo a test before proper medication can be administer .

She further lauded efforts of the national body of the association in line with the world malaria day celebration pointing out that the grassroots are getting well informed on issues surrounding malaria parasite.

She urged people leaving in the communities to clear breeding sites of mosquitoes , saying, the parasites are transmitted through the bite of infected female anopheles mosquito.

On his part ,Vice Chairman of the Zone, Isaac Ogunbiyi affirmed, that the awareness campaign programme was aimed to eradicate malaria illness from the community.

He further harped on the need for the state and local governments to pursue policies that would ensure a cleaner environment that would help element malaria from the communities.

Ogunbiyi maintained that malaria illness top the list of ailment  in the communities and the association will continue to sensitise the public on the need to sustain a healthier and cleaner environment.

The Ikotun Zone of ACPN comprise; Abaranje, Ijegun ,Ikotun ,Ejigbo , Igando , Idimu ,Isheri and Egan communities under the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.