Abuja - August 24 - (Mediaage NG News) – Founder, Community Vision Initiative (CVI), Dr. Chioma Amajoh on Monday said there should be an improved political will to invest more in health, especially “towards the reduction of Malaria diseases.
Describing Malaria as a challenge and an environmental issue, she said the fight against the disease could be one in futility without focusing on the carrier, mosquitoe. “We cannot eliminate Malaria if we do not focus on the vectors – anopheles mosquitoe”, she said.
Dr. Amajoh, a graduate of the London School of Tropical Medicine, highlighted the tripartite relationship that evolves around the malaria disease, which she said is the parasite, mosquitoe vector, the human host reacting to themselves and the wider biological, physical and chemical environment. She said each of them, the parasite and mosquitoe vector need each other to get to the human host, “it’s a natural phenomenon”, she said.
“We need the political will to invest in health, especially towards the reduction of Malaria diseases. No group of organisms want to be extinguished.
“We cannot kill all the mosquitoes, we can only control them. They are there but, can we avoid interaction between the vector and the pathogen, the parasites and viruses? This explains why it’s so difficult”, Dr. Amajoh, a trained Medical Doctor stated.
She called for Public Private Partnership (PPP), urging for close ties amongst organisations like the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON), regional group, Pan African Mosquitoe Control Association of Nigeria (PAMCAN) whose conference will be coming up in September, and the Society for Mosquitoe Control
Dr. Amajoh added that the private sector which has a has a business like ability to identify problems and coordinate their communities and proffer solutions can join in the fight against mosquitoes through direct investment – human resources, capacity building and monitoring, advocate for support, encourage other businesses, awareness creation and mobilisation.
While revealing that the challenges ahead remain significant, she believes that together, with more investment, innovation (including new tools), and improved utilization of existing interventions, the goal of eradicating malaria will be achieved.
She also said the lack of necessary research and development is a hindrance to sustaining the fight against mosquitoes.
Dr. Amajoh developed a passion for malaria control when she was working on her First degree Seminar topic – “Tropical Diseases and Their Vectors”.