The Rotary Club of Maple Grove, United States of America (USA), in association with the Yenagoa Towers Rotary Club and the Primary Health Authority of Sagbama, has begun a one -year project aimed at addressing the propagation of malaria in the state of Bayelsa.
According to the head of Mrs. Jennifer Borel, project director and assistant governor of the Rotary District 5950, USA, the project would cover the distribution of networks treated with insecticides, blood pressure test, blood sugar test and free medical glasses provided by health professionals.
She said: “Rotary International has seven focus areas, one of which is the prevention and treatment of the disease. The state of Bayelsa was selected for the project in the area of ​​the Niger Delta, which is characterized by a high water table and a low land that is likely to flood during floods, with a resulting increase in mosquito breeding.
“These communities experience a high prevalence of malaria. It is also a difficult area to achieve, so I assumed the responsibility of bringing the project here to save lives from this deadly disease.
“A similar project began in 2022 in the state of Patani, Delta, where the number of infected individuals has been drastically reduced, with zero deaths registered since then due to education and consciousness in the communities.
“We decided to extend the project to the state communities of Bayelsa in the riverside coastal areas of Nigeria. We will have trained community volunteers who will continue to reach remote areas to educate residents and provide them with networks treated with insecticides and malaria medications.”
Also reacting, the elected district governor of the 9141 Rotary District, which covers the states of RÃos, Delta, Edo and Bayelsa, Anthony Olikagu, expressed his belief that the Zero Malaria project will prevent families from losing their loved ones to malaria.
He declared: “Malaria deprives people of their joy, and I am delighted that thousands of families find joy through this project. We must continue thanking Rotary International for presenting this global granting project to our local communities.
“This area is in flooding and is prone to mosquitoes, so this project will contribute significantly to the eradication of the disease.”
The president of the local government of Sagbama, Alice Tangi, represented by the vice president, Jefferson Tobi, said that Rotary’s intervention came at a critical moment for river communities that are most affected by malaria during the rainy season.
He said: “This program is one of its kind in the area of ​​the local government of Sagbama, the state of Bayelsa, and this is the period in which malaria is more frequent here. We extend our sincere gratitude to Rotary International for bringing this project to our communities. In fact, it will help fight malaria.”
His king Majesty Boloyi Sufadoh, the Pere Kumbowei kingdom kingdom, also expressed his appreciation for Rotary’s efforts and thanked the organization for extending the project to the unattended areas in the state.
He said: “I think that the people of the 15 communities in the area of ​​the local government of Sagbama of the state of Bayelsa will benefit immensely. This is a mobile initiative that involves community -based volunteers, and stipends will be provided for a year. I am sure that malaria will be eradicated in its completion. I thank Rotary International for this initiative.”
One of the beneficiaries of the scope of the net distribution, Victor Ebiado, expressed his gratitude, saying: “I received a network of mosquitoes and malaria medications. I am very grateful because it is not easy to implement such initiatives, especially in rural areas such as ours. Thank you, rotating!”
Dr. Nduku Maxwell, doctor and consultant of the Zero Malaria Project, explained that “Nigeria represents about 27 percent of the world malaria load, resulting in approximately 200 deaths, which makes it the country with the prevalence of the highest malaria worldwide.
“Malaria can be prevented through the use of networks treated with insecticides, and initiatives such as the Zero Malaria project are crucial to help government health institutions to eradicate this Nigerian disease.”
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