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Nigeria: Malaria - Group Spearheads Control Drive in FCT
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This Day (Lagos)
18 March 2008
Posted to the web 19 March 2008
Abimbola Akosile
Lagos
The House of Succour (HoS), a social sector, human developed non-governmental organisation, has led the struggle for a revolution in malaria control in Nigeria in general and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in particular; canvassing for prompt and free treatment of children under 5 years of age who are infected with the malaria virus within the community.
The organisation, which commenced the initial phase of the struggle in September 2007, is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Society for Family Health (SFH) in identifying, training and provision of drugs to be dispensed by the trained mothers; in order to increase the number of children benefiting from this initiative.
To buttress this initiative, HoS, led by its Governor, Mrs. Olapeju Otsemobor, commenced a training session for women who were called Role Model Mothers. The training took place in HoS office in Wuse II, Abuja, where 11 RMMs were trained from Kubwa, Kuchikau, Jikwoyi, Gwagwalada among other area councils.
The trained women, according to Otsemobor, volunteered their time to serve as treatment centres for children younger than 5 years, in their communities when these children present with fever among other symptoms.
There is a logo to serve as identification of the Role Model Mothers within their communities, while House of Succour is also distributing information leaflets within these communities to promote use of the services at the different points.
The trainees were taught by a doctor and other health professionals to recognise the symptom of malaria, counsel and treat malaria in the children as well as follow up the response of the children.
They were also taught how to recognise danger signs and to encourage care givers to take the child to the health facility immediately. "We expect this community effort to help reduce deaths due to malaria among young children who are known to be highly susceptible, and who could die from malaria if not promptly and effectively treated QUOTE", she said.
According to Dr. Yemi Sofola, National Coordinator Malaria Control Programme of the Federal Ministry of Health, the drugs of choice for treatment of malaria are the Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs).
Those being used for this project were purchased by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and distributed through the Federal Ministry of Health, Malaria Control Programme while SFH facilitated the implementation of the project. HoS has worked among young persons encouraging and developing a sense of community, and in the process, better healthier communities evolve.
The organisation has a vision to be a resource for leadership development among African youths through attention to health and education, to put them on the cutting edge of development.
"We always strive to support youth leadership development for healthy living and economic self-reliance, encourage partnership and collaboration among organisations working with young persons", Otsemobor elaborated.
In a chat after the training, Otsemobor explained the importance of using community action to tackle serious and long standing problems such as malaria which affect both the health and economic well being of Nigerians.
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Also one of the trained Role Model Mothers (RMMs), Mrs. Sanni lauded the collaboration and assured HoS that the confidence reposed in them would not be abused. HoS is to visit the RMMs to monitor their activities as well as have a pharmacist monitor the drug use within the communities.
The issue of record keeping was discussed at length to ensure continued supply of anti- malaria drugs to the various points of service within the selected communities; and the project is to be extended to other communities.
According to Otsemobor, "as this project succeeds, the Federal Ministry of Health would have demonstrated its commitment to improved health among Nigerians, using collaboration among Partner agencies in both public and private sectors; thus achieving Public Private Partnership (PPP)".
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