Lagos Country Club Intensifies Efforts to Prevent Malaria Scourge

Mary Nnah 

It is reported that Nigeria has the highest number of malaria cases and deaths globally and despite the several programmes and initiatives to combat the disease, the casualties keep mounting.

However, Nigerians are not relenting in their efforts to tackle the malaria scourge as individuals, organisations, NGOs and even government parastatal are using the resources at their disposal to tackle this killer disease.

Consequently, the need to intensify efforts to prevent the malaria scourge witnessed in the country over time by providing prompt, accurate diagnoses and treatment was the focus of a Water Polo Competition organised by the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, tagged, “Swim against Malaria”.

Held last week at the pool side of the  Lagos Country Club, the competition was sponsored by the Sports Secretary, Lagos Country Club, Mr. Jide Egbele, in honour of his father who was the former President of the Swimming Section.

Tagged, “Swim against Malaria”, the competition was majorly to create awareness of the scourge of malaria, highlighting the prevalence, causes,  prevention and the best way it can be treated.

During the event, Chief Medical Director, Mayflower Medical Hospital, Magodo, Dr. Richard Okorejior, informed that early prompt, accurate diagnoses and treatment are crucial for the mortality caused by malaria. He, noted however that poor diagnoses have continued to hinder the measures for control of malaria in Nigeria.

He said further that in Africa, the rising drug cost and ever-expensive combination therapy are responsible for poor treatment of malaria, adding that the treatment of malaria is supposed to be purely for medical professionals as it requires accurate diagnoses and tests for proper treatment.  

While providing insight into malaria, its causes, and how it can be treated, Okorejior revealed further that Africa is an epidemic area of malaria and therefore needs serious attention by the authorities concerned.

The event had in attendance both present and past executives of the club including patrons and members featured children, adults, and veterans who showed their skills in freestyle, breaststroke, mixed doubles relay, and water polo.

Sports Secretary of the Club, Mr. Jide Egbele, who described the championship as a huge success and was excited by the number of kids that took part in the one-day event expressing hope that some of them could become future champions if well nurtured.

“We saw some talented swimmers here today and some of them set good records and I can assure you that with adequate mentorship, some of them can become future champions both nationally and internationally”, he said.

He explained that the theme of Malaria eradication was chosen for the tournament because malaria is one of the most killer diseases in the West African sub-region and that there was a need to create more awareness about the scourge.

“The truth is that malaria has been described as the number one killer disease in this part of the world and we must continue to create more awareness about the scourge and I believe we are on the right course”, Egbele added.

Chairman Organising Committee of the 8th Swim Against Malaria, Dr. Laja Adesina said, “Swimming is a very good recreational endeavour and we are trying to raise awareness on Malaria by to connecting swimming with malaria. “Malaria is a scourge and WHO has it that in 2021 over 200,000 Nigerians died from malaria and that we have about 1.5 million infections of malaria, so it is a big scourge.”  

He said therefore that the event was mainly orgainsed to bring members – children and adults to create awareness on how malaria can be prevented and treated.

He explained that those who participated in the competition include children of members of the swimming section of the Club as well as other swimming clubs in Lagos, collaborating to raise awareness of malaria. 

Adesina who opined  that the government efforts to prevent and treat malaria are a drop in the ocean, noted, “If you look at the value of resources that have been deployed for malaria as compared to other killer diseases, you would agree with me that government needs to put more resources into malaria treatment and prevention than we are doing at the moment.”

He, therefore, advised that government should strengthen the health facilities and also put more money and personnel into addressing the scourge in Nigeria.

Children below the age of 6 to about 15 years participated in the competition category while adults from 21 years to 50 and above participated in the adult category.

Although there were special prizes for winners who came first, second and third respectively,  in all the categories, however, all the competitors in the swimming contest received gifts, as they were all regarded as winners who fought against Malaria.

Governing Board Member, Lagos State Sports Commission, Hon. Olarenwaju Saidi, who represented the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described the event as a welcome development.

“We have heard a lot about Polio, Cancer but swimming against Malaria is a very good initiative, which I think should be highly promoted by all and sundry. 

“Sports and Health go hand in hand, so having this happen – Swim Against Malaria – we are also talking about sports and health. So, let us see how more we can interface between sports and health and of course we know that health is also about exercising ourselves; sports is the greatest exercise that we can do, so the relationships between these things should be highly promoted, and then we can get to a better place”, Saidi said.