Health
THE national response to COVID-19 pandemic showed what is possible when the private sector and public-spirited individuals rally behind a healthcare crisis.
The truth is: “Nigeria is experiencing a major much larger healthcare crisis from malaria, which kills more than 135,000 Nigerians, mostly children, yearly, and this requires collaborative public sector and large scale private sector intervention.
“A key intervention that will reduce deaths significantly as we work
towards the elimination of this long term healthcare crisis is a Nigeria Emergency Malaria Test and Treat, NEMATT, plan that delivers scaled testing and treatment in Nigeria.
“In that regard, NESH Foundation and WABIO Foundation, in partnership with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, and in collaboration with Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF,
and the States’ Primary Health Care Development Agencies, are using today to flag off a nationwide Test and Treat Malaria Outreach Programme,” a statement by NESH Foundation and WABIO Foundation said.
According to the statement, the Test & Treat Malaria Charity Outreach Program as conceived, would be supported by Corporate Nigeria, Parastatals, Agencies, public-spirited Nigerians, and will deliver simple and convenient NAFDAC-approved Do-it-Yourself Urine Malaria Test, UMT, kits and anti-malaria ACT medicines for free to rural and urban poor Nigerians nationwide, who are now experiencing rising cases and deaths from malaria.
It added that the programme will last for 90 days in the first instance, and so far, the following Organizations have pledged their support for the program: (i) Nigeria LNG, (ii) NNPC/Total & Partners (iii) IBRU Group (iv) Stanbic IBTC Bank (v) Airtel Nigeria (vi) United Nigeria Airline (vii) Cutix Plc.
“We believe that many more Corporations and public-spirited individuals will step up to support the programme, especially our NESH 100 impactful Entrepreneurs and CACOVID.
“Let us use this opportunity to acknowledge the exemplary past efforts of the following companies in the fight against malaria: Nigeria NLNG, Total E & P, Nigeria Agip Oil Company, NAOC, Exxon Mobil Nigeria, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria and Chevron Nigeria. During the last weekend in November for the next 5 years, NESH and ALGON will be celebrating our primary healthcare support partners, and during the occasion, we would be recognizing our Malaria Champions for the year.
“We call on the Governments (Federal/State/Local) to make an even larger investment than it did for COVID-19 control, and to urgently facilitate the private sector effort toward the NEMATT plan.
“To eliminate Malaria in Nigeria before 2030, is a task that must be done with all of us working together,” the statement signed by Emeka Ugwu-Oju, Ebele Enemchukwu added.
– April 29, 2021 @ 17:17GMT
Tags: Nigeria needs a NEMATT Plan on Malaria
