Braithwaite Urges FG to End Malaria-related Deaths

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The federal government has been urged to take necessary measures to put an end to Malaria- related deaths and rid the country of the scourge.

Author of the new book, ‘”End Malaria in Nigeria, Mrs Funmilayo Braithwaite, who made the call in Abuja during the launch of her book, also urged government to take necessary steps to provide adequate funding for the health sector.

According to her, Malaria is having a very severe impact on the life and economy our people, adding that “in every two minutes, children die of malaria. So I want people to know the symptoms of malaria and proper measures we can take to prevent it”.

Braithwaite said the need to educate children on proper hygiene method and also empower them with the requisite knowledge of the causes and preventive measures to take, necessitated her writing the book.

“I’m concerned about the number of people that had died from the scourge in Nigeria and Africa.I wrote the book, End Malaria, because I want to put an end to the number of people who have died from malaria.

“The book illustrates the causes, symptoms and preventive measures put in place to eliminate the disease”, she said.

In the same vein, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, said malaria has shortened the lives of a lot of people, especially children in the country.

He joined the call on government to provide adequate funding to the health sector.

Oloriegbe said there is need to invest more in pharmaceutical companies to manufacture malaria drugs to tackle the scourge.

“Malaria has taken a lot of lives. This is as a result of nonchalant attitude of the people. Our people show less concern about their environment.

“They believe in superstition and think it is spiritual without taking proper measures to eradicate the disease,” the lawmaker said.”