The event was flagged off with an awareness campaign and road show for public sensitisation on malaria prevention including distribution of educational materials.
Mr Gwueke Ajaifia, GM, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Ltd; Hon David Odunmbaku, Chairman, Ojodu Local Council Development Area; Hon Olubunmi Oluyadi, Vice Chairman, Ojodu LCDA; Hon Olaide Bello, Secretary and Mrs Kenechi Esomeju, GM, CSR, TotalEnergies during the TotalEnergies World Malaria Day 2022 awareness walk and distribution of Insectiside treated bed nets within Ojodu LCDA on Monday
The residents, after the road show, converged at the Ojodu Local Development Area Secretariat to take advantage of the rare opportunity to get tested and treated for Malaria.
They were also subjected to series of medical examinations, including weight check, temperature check, blood pressure, blood sugar and others, with special attention given to pregnant women and nursing mothers.
According to the World Health Organisation, WHO, Malaria infects more than 500 million people each year and kills more than one million people. The WHO Malaria Fact Sheet published on 6th April 2022, shows that globally, there were 241 million malaria cases and 627,000 malaria deaths in 2020. Africa continues to carry a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden, making the region home to 95% of malaria cases and 96% of malaria deaths. This is why TotalEnergies is in the fight to prevent and eradicate malaria.
In his keynote speech, Managing Director, TotalEnergies Upstream Companies in Nigeria,
Mike Sangster, said the objective is to create awareness of the severity of malaria, how this disease is contracted, how it can be prevented and the importance of hygiene in the prevention and fight against malaria.
“In our efforts at tackling the disease, we have joined forces with stakeholders, several organisations and government agencies in many states in Nigeria.
“Today, working with NIBUCAA on this project, we have donated 1,000 Long Lasting Insecticides Treated Nets and encouraged refuse collection and disposal and the clearing of drainages. We urge residents to work towards sustaining these actions and to use the mosquito nets properly, to ensure a malaria free environment and community.
“Our goal today is to ensure a malaria free environment in Ojodu community and by extension Lagos State, so we can jointly “End Malaria”.
Sangster said TotalEnergies was committed to the promotion of good health and wellbeing as it aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 3 which seeks to ensure healthy lives, through the realisation of various targets, including ending the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other diseases, by 2030.
The theme for the 2022 anti-malaria campaign is ‘Advance Equity, Build Resilience, end Malaria’.