Asaba, the Delta state capital was in a carnival mood today as hundreds of people trooped to the major streets for a sensitisation walk against the Malaria scourge.
The Anti -Malaria campaign organised by Prince Ned Nwoko Foundation, in collaboration with the Delta state government and the civil society organisations featured walkthrough Nnebisi road, Okpanam road, summit, Shoprite mall and other strategic places in the state capital.
The state Commissioner for Health Dr Mordi Ononye represented by the permanent secretary in the ministry, Dr Ejiro Ogheneaga, who led the walk along with the coordinator of the programme, Dr Michael Nwoko, Senior Special Assistant to the state governor on Health Monitoring said it was dedicated to the eradication of malaria in the state and Nigeria in general.
Dr Ononye said public health was a cardinal policy of the state government under the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and commended the Prince Ned Nwoko Foundation for its selfless commitment to combating malaria among millions of Nigerians.
He expressed optimism that the strategic collaboration between Ned Nwoko Foundation, the state government and other agencies would help to curb the spread of malaria in the state and far afield.
In his remarks, the SSA to the governor on Health Monitoring, Dr Nwoko said the initiative centred on vaccine development, sanitation, fumigation and proper waste management and noted the need to sensitize the public on the effect of malaria as a killer pandemic.
He said Malaria was more deadly than Coronavirus especially In Africa and called for concerted action to check the spread.
Dr Nwoko hailed governor Okowa for laying the foundation for other development partners to clean up Nigeria and provide a permanent solution to malaria.
According to him, the Ned Nwoko foundation was also working closely with the Federal Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment and international agencies in the anti-malaria campaign.
Also speaking, popular Nollywood actress Mrs Rita Daniels who mobilized members of Actors Guild of Nigeria AGN for the walk said it was unfortunate that majority of the people do not see malaria as a deadly scourge, urging all to ensure personal hygiene for a cleaner and safer environment.
Other key participants in the sensitisation walk, senior media aide to Governor Okowa, Comrade Norbert Chiazor and the state Anti-malaria programme manager, Dr Julie Aniah urged the advanced Nations to give prompt attention to the development of Malaria vaccine with the same zeal they tackled Covid 19.
It would be recalled that Prince Ned Nwoko, a former member of the House of Representatives had in the past year embarked on a malaria eradication campaign especially in Africa with a historic visit to Antarctica and an endowment of research in five African universities to develop a vaccine for malaria.
