According to the world malaria report (2020) published by the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 229 million estimated cases of malaria in the world.
Unfortunately, Nigeria accounts for 27% of the above figure, thereby putting us among the countries with the most cases of malaria in the world.
Over the years, governments at all levels in collaboration with various organizations, both local and international, have invested heavily in the fight against malaria.
As a country struggling with the problem of poor infrastructure and manpower deficit, the collaboration between the government and these organizations is helping to bridge the gap.
Several policies aimed at eliminating the scourge are also being introduced and implemented. Hence, in solidarity with the government and other organizations in eradicating malaria, the Ned Nwoko Foundation commemorated this year’s World Malaria Day with a Malaria Awareness Walk led by Prince Ned Nwoko and his dear wife, Regina.
The event which kicked off at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, on the 24th of April 2021, helped to sensitize Nigerians on the need to maintain proper personal hygiene, keep the environment clean and recycle wastes.
It would be recalled that Ned, in January 2020, took the foundation’s “Malaria Eradication In Africa Project” to Antarctica to address the menace in Africa.
Already, plans are underway to introduce a nationwide fumigation and mount waste recycling plants in each of the 774 Local Government Areas of the country, which will absorb thousands of youths.
The foundation also seeks to earmark a fund for the research and development of a malaria vaccine.
In a statement on its website, the foundation stated that it plans “to work with research scientists in Africa to collaborate with our US partners for effective trials and vaccine development.”
Ned’s idea of fighting malaria through a cleaner environment and vaccination while providing jobs for the teeming unemployed seems to be getting lots of commendation.
A medical practitioner from Ughelli in Delta State, Evelyn Mukoro, told Mangrovepen.ng that “Prince Ned Nwoko has exemplified true patriotism by finding solutions to malaria which has taken countless lives in Nigeria.”
“I am glad to hail from the same state with Ned who is blessed with wisdom and has committed himself to serving humanity,” Evelyn expressed.
An educationist living in Port Harcourt, Mr. Loveday Okon, also poured encomiums on Ned for being a good ambassador of Nigeria by leading the anti-malaria campaign in Africa with a workable strategy.
He called on the federal government and the international community to “support the Ned Nwoko Foundation to completely eradicate malaria to save the lives of Nigerians.”
Loveday, however, advised Ned to remain focused on his vision and not allow retrogressive elements to be a clog in the wheel of progress.
