The Ondo State governor’s wife, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, on Wednesday in Akure, advocated for urgent reduction of maternal and child deaths resulting from malaria.
Akeredolu made the call when she received a team led by the Catholic Relief Service (CRS) and some development partners.
The group decorated her as Net Ambassador for the Insecticide Treated Nets distribution exercise in the state.
She said: “I am concerned that our communities are facing high degree of malaria illnesses caused by the parasite transmitted by mosquito bite.
“This has caused so many lives and made many of us sick.
“Malaria is still one of the leading causes of deaths in many pregnant women and children in our state.
“So, there is need to collectively tackle this scourge and eliminate mosquitoes and malaria to the barest minimum in our environment.’’
As a preventive measure against malaria, the governor’s wife advised residents of the state to collect the nets when the distribution starts and also put them to good use by sleeping under them every night.
“Now, we can protect ourselves and families from malaria by hanging and sleeping inside the long lasting insecticide net every night.
“The net truly protects from mosquito bites that cause malaria.
“I urge you and your families to sleep inside the net tonight and every night.
“Remember, when everybody sleeps inside the net, everybody benefits,’’ Mrs Akeredolu said.
She appealed to residents of the state to actively participate in the fight against malaria as it required collective efforts to tackle.
She also urged them to keep their environments clean and clear places that posed as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
The governor’s wife also clarified that there was no connection between the vaccination rumour that was going round and distribution of nets in the state.
Mrs Akeredolu thanked the CRS for the honour and promised to give necessary support to make the distribution exercise successful.
Dr Wahab Adegbenro, the state Commissioner for Health, who led the CRS delegation, said the visit was to formally intimate the governor’s wife of plans to distribute about three million LLINs to residents of the state.
The visit was also to seek her support for a successful exercise.
According to him, the distribution of the nets will start across the state on Oct. 27.
The commissioner urged people to come and collect the nets and use them to guard against mosquito bites and malaria.
Malaria: Ondo State governor’s wife advocates reduction in maternal, child deaths
