From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
A Non- Governmental Organization, Hacey Health Initiative in collaboration with Access Corporation have distributed over 500 treated mosquito nets to pregnant women and nursing mothers in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
According to the Coordinators of the programme, the move became necessary to prevent children, mothers and pregnant women from malaria, sensitize them to prioritize their health and to help the health sector in its fight against malaria.
Speaking to newsmen at the programme held at the Okeyinmi Health Centre, in Ado Ekiti, capital of the state, one of the Coordinators, Mr. Adebayo Abiola, said the donation of the mosquito nets was to prevent the spread of malaria by taking the fight against it seriously.
“The Hacey Health Initiative is very concerned about the safety and health status of pregnant and nursing mothers. Mosquitoes can breed at the most unsuspecting places and that is why we are here today to meet pregnant women and nursing mothers who are the most vulnerable to mosquitoes bites especially those living in untidy areas.
“We are also here to sensitize the women in particular, our pregnant women to take their health as top priority and today we are not only sensitizing them but also testing them for malaria which is absolutely free”
Another Coordinator, Mr. Friday Edoise, said the fight against malaria should not be left to few hands as it is one of the oldest killers of the human race and that all hands must be on deck to ensure malaria is eradicated by all possible means.
“The NGO which we are representing is doing a great job in seeing to the eradication and total annihilation of malaria. Today, after collecting the data of these pregnant women, we conducted tests and after knowing their status we gave out treated mosquito nets for free”
He noted that the pregnant women were taught how to use the nets and keep their environments tidy and dispose wastes as and when due to stop mosquitoes from finding a common ground to breed.
“It is not enough to use mosquito nets or malaria drugs, it is also pertinent to inform our women on the importance of personal hygiene and maintain our environment.”
Some of the women who attended the programme appreciated HACEY Health and Access Corporation for the kind gesture and promised to take cognizance of their health even as they collected the nets to use immediately.