Abuja - August 19 - (Mediaage NG News) – Mosquito bite is a health risk, with its transmitted disease causing millions of deaths globally. Malaria, the most common known disease that emanates from mosquitoe bites is likely to be severe on people with weak immune system, especially children. However, preventive measures can be taken to keep these mosquitoes and the diseases they cause, at bay.
On Saturday, the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) in collaboration with the Pest Control Association of Nigeria (PECAN) went on a road walk sensitisation exercise in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.
This was in preparation for the World Mosquitoe Day held every 20th of August to create awareness on the dangers of inhabiting mosquitoe friendly environments. The road walk climaxed at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at the suburb of Kunchingoro, Airport road, Abuja, where orientation were given to residents of the camp, mostly women and children, and pesticides shared.
The exercise, according to the National president of PECAN, Kunle Williams, is to join efforts with the government in eradicating mosquitoes, and “to let residents understand preventive ways of disrupting the transmission of Malaria caused by mosquitoes”.
Mr. Williams spoke of the importance of good drainage system as a preventive side of fighting malaria and other diseases that mosquitoes carry. He said PECAN hopes for government support in terms of partnership with the private sector, as the association puts itself forward in helping the government achieve its goals.
Continuous awareness is a must
Terungwa Abarim, the National Vice President, Pest Control Association of Nigeria (PECAN), described Malaria as the world’s deadliest killer and said more awareness on the dangers of mosquitoes is needed, despite the success rate the sensitization exercise has recorded. “It can’t be enough, we have to continue creating more awareness, as long as people keep dieing of Malaria disease, he said.
“We can’t say we have done enough, we have to reach every nook and cranny because, a lot of persons are not even aware of the reasons for Malaria attacks. As long as mosquitoes continue to transmit malaria, we have to keep up with the awareness and sustain it.
“It’s a multi-prong approach. Lots of attention have be paid to the issues of Malaria. Apart from the pest control, what causes Malaria are the mosquitoes. So, it’s a simple thing to note that when we get rid of mosquitoes, there won’t be Malaria diseases anymore.
“We, in the private sector are partnering with public agencies like Environmental Health Council of Nigeria to ensure that we get to the root of the problem and the efforts are paying dividends”, said Abarim who is also the chairman, PECAN, FCT chapter.
He also cautioned against the improper use of insecticides by some community residents which is one of the reasons for the sensitization exercise. He said PECAN has always been at the forefront of creating awareness against the Illegal use of pesticides and the way people treat their environments and pest control in general, “there’s been a misunderstanding of the concept of pest control, he revealed.
“Some persons think it’s about throwing pesticides on the environment. PECAN came up with modern ways of curtailing the spread of mosquitoes and have gotten the regulatory agencies to aid in passing the message against the indiscriminate use of insecticides”.
Much won’t be achieved if the fight against mosquitoes is not taken seriously
Isah Adamu, representing the Registrar of EHCON, called on policy makers and implementers to take mosquitoe control seriously, “it is the surest way to eliminating malaria from Nigeria”, he said.
Adamu disclosed that much can’t be achieved if “we don’t take mosquito control very seriously”.
“We must continue to send the message individually and collectively so that we can echo and re-echo it till it gets to the hearing of all concerned”, he added.
Keeping a clean environment devoid of stagnant waters
One of the core importance of the day’s awareness was the orientation it aimed at establishing in the minds of the city and community residents, the deadly implications of mosquitoe bites. That was a view concurred to, by the Acting Director of the FCT’s National Orientation Agency (NOA), Ijeoma Agbanusi.
“Mosquitoes are the deadliest killers of people in rural areas and in cities”, she said.
“It’s a good thing this year’s sensitisation was not just in the city but, was taken to the rural areas”, she expressed .
Mrs. Agbanusi said with the current rainy season experienced in the country, it is a period that sees the increase of mosquitoes. Therefore, it adds to the importance of sensitizing people on the dangers mosquitoe friendly environments pose and how these environments can be kept clean, devoid of stagnant waters that breed mosquitoes.