ACOMIN Harps on Environmental Clean-up to End Malaria
By: Edirin Robinson
A group under the auspices of the Civil Society for Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN) has stressed the importance of clean environments in the fight against malaria diseases bedeviling the people of Kaduna State and Nigeria.
This was contained in a statement made by the state program officer (ACOMIN), Mr Ogidi Nicodemus, and made available to the media in Kaduna today.
Mr. Ogidi lamented that it is alarming to find health facilities that are tasked with delivering effective health care in varying states of disrepair with dirty environments.
According to him, many health facilities are in aging buildings that have significantly deteriorated over time, with visible cracks and leaks and roofs on the verge of collapse.
He opined that this undermines the quality of Healthcare services and deters community members from seeking care, raising serious health and safety concerns for both patients and Healthcare workers.
He added that some of the Primary Healthcare lack clean and conducive environments to fight malaria in the communities, projecting a bigger threat to life due to the habit of uncleanliness.
“Good health is one of the foundations of any thriving society, but most communities do not have a proper drainage system, and mosquitoes need dirty water to breed and grow, but members of the community are not even aware of this fact.
“This is why the organization is seeking to mobilize Government Agencies, the private sector, mass media, and communities to increase investments in upgrading and maintenance of the fight against malaria to help us build a society that is free from malaria,” He said.
Speaking at the meeting also, the Program Officer for Yakwai Human Touch Foundation, an organization under the umbrella of ACOMIN, Mr. Shadrach David Hassan, noted that malaria is a common but deadly disease that has claimed many lives in the past, especially the lives of children from the age of 1 to 10 years.
He explained that his organization, as a Community-Based Organization, is engaged in going into communities, creating advocacy, and sensitizing the people on what to do to avoid malaria.
“We do cleanup of bushes and tall grasses, cleaning and maintaining proper water drainage, usage of treated mosquito nets and repellents, wearing of long sleeves and trousers, and timely and adequate treatment of all malaria cases.
“But we cannot achieve all this without the help of key stakeholders at the governmental level, community leaders, Religious leaders, and also agencies that do activities related to malaria, partnering with us to see to it that all of this is possible.
“We need support in providing proper water drainage, rehabilitation of Healthcare Facilities, distribution of treated mosquito nets, sponsoring health programs on malaria in all mediums, and also going to the grassroots to sensitize community members,” He said.
