The Executive Chairman of Itu Local Government Council; Hon. (Barr.) Etetim Onuk has reiterated his administration’s commitment to tackling the scourge of malaria in Itu Local Government Area.
Onuk stated this on Tuesday at the Council Secretariat, Mbak Atai Itam, during the commemoration of the 2023 World Malaria Day in the Local Government Area. According to him, malaria remained a life threatening endemic that was responsible for a lot of deaths across the world and called for concerted effort from all to ensure the scourge was curbed before it got worse.
He commended the government at all levels, World Health Organizations and donor agencies for their sustained support towards the eradication of Malaria and urged the people to adhere to the stipulated guidelines, avoid self medication and ensure they visited the nearest health centers for free test and treatment of malaria.
Similarly, the Roll Back Malaria officer in the Local Government Area; Victoria Otung, the Health Promotion Officer; Edidiong Johnson and the Local Government’s director for health; Mrs. Ifreke Ukoyen all stressed the need to use the insecticide treated nets which they said, have been magnanimously donated by the government and donor agencies. The trio also advised the people to keep their sourounding clean and free from stagnated water so as to avoid breeding of the malaria-carrying anopheles mosquitos.
Meanwhile, the Special Assistant to the council Chairman on Community Health; Dr. Daniel Umoren has warned against the dangers of self medication, arguing that it often leads to avoidable complications. He noted that the government has spent a lot of money on awareness campaigns, treated nets and free medication, adding that the people ought to follow guidelines if the fight against malaria must be won.