UK multinational firm, Reckitt Benckiser in anti-malaria drive

Rising infant and maternal deaths caused by malaria in Nigeria and Africa have become a source of grave concern to stakeholders – government, international development agencies, mothers and lately corporate bodies. The Roll Back Malaria (RBM) said there are estimated 300 million acute cases of malaria every year around the world, resulting in more than one million deaths. Approximately 90 per cent of these deaths occur in Africa, mostly in young children.

The Federal Ministry of Health said in Nigeria malaria is responsible for 60 per cent of out-patient visits to health facilities, 30 per cent of childhood deaths and 25 per cent of deaths in children under one year. Aside, an estimated financial loss from malaria in the form of treatment costs, prevention and loss of man-hours among others is approximately N132 billion per year.

The creation of the World Malaria Day (WMD) in May 2007 by the 60th session of the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organisation (WHO) was part of global efforts to stem malaria prevalence. The WMD commemorated on April 25 every year, was aimed at providing education and understanding of malaria and spread information on year-long intensified implementation of national malaria control strategies, including community-based activities for malaria prevention and treatment in endemic areas.

In response to this need and to further demonstrate its commitment to the provision of innovative solutions aimed at making life easier and healthier, Reckitt Benckiser launched the Mortein Voices Against Malaria Campaign in 2012. The anti-malaria initiative among other seeks to educate pregnant mothers on how they can protect themselves and their children (age 0-5 years) against malaria. The initiative is also aimed at supporting the current effort of the Federal Government to reduce maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria to the barest minimum.

Speaking at a joint ministerial press briefing organised recently by the Federal Ministry of Health with key partners to mark the World Malaria Day in Abuja, the Marketing Director, RB West Africa,  Oguzhan Silivrili assured of Mortein’s commitment to malaria elimination in Nigeria.

“Mortein has been at the forefront of the fight against malaria in Nigeria via a number of initiatives targeted at empowering Nigerians so that together we can defeat malaria. We believe malaria can be eliminated in Nigeria which is the reason Mortein is championing the cause for a malaria-free Nigeria. Over the years, through our New Mom Programme (NMP), Mortein has successfully reached and educated over 100,000 mothers at the Primary Health Centres and community outreaches across the country”, he said.

As part of strategy to scale up the coverage, the Mortein anti-malaria campaign train was at communities and Primary Health Centres in Oyo State recently during which the team comprising educators, nurses and Roll Back Malaria officials educated mothers on cost effective practices to eliminate mosquitoes, which are the causative agents of malaria. These include maintaining clean environment at all times by clearing water drainages, elimination of stagnant waters and cutting of grasses within their surroundings. Other important steps are sleeping under Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs) and use of safe insecticides which meet the WHO specification like Mortein.

Sharing experience on how the malaria prevention enlightenment initiative by Mortein has impacted them, a mother,  Temitope Adekunle residing in Boluwaji, Ibadan South-East Local Government said, “Prior to this time, many of us did not have much knowledge on how we can prevent malaria. With this campaign by Mortein, we have learnt the benefits of a clean environment, sleeping under treated mosquito nets and very importantly, using insecticide that kills hundred per cent mosquitoes, which is Mortein.”

A new mom and trader,  Winifred Igbirere, revealed her frustration over the inefficiency of some insecticidesthat she had tried before until she tried Mortein and experienced the difference. “Mortein is very powerful, it kills mosquitoes and keeps me and my family protected for over a week after we spray it. I have tried some other insecticides but they are all not effective. Mortein is the number one for me”, she said.

Silivrili disclosed that the company’s collaboration with relevant stakeholders on the anti-malaria campaign includes the strategic partnerships between Mortein and the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), the lead agency of the Federal Ministry of Health on the elimination of malaria, state ministries of health and other relevant government bodies.

“Over years, we have gone round Nigeria with the Mortein Anti-Malaria Campaign train to empower Nigerians with the right information they need to have so that they can protect themselves from mosquitoes and stay healthy. Our New Mom Programme has reached approximately 5 million new moms in the hospitals since inception; we also have the mobile clinic, Health On Wheels (HOW), open market activations currentlygoing door-to-door across Nigeria”, he noted.