BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
Members of Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) and Pest Control Association of Nigeria (PECAN) during a road walk to commemorate 2023 World Mosquito day in Abuja.
The Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) has intensified its efforts towards the reduction of diseases caused by mosquitoes.
Registrar of EHCON, Dr Yakubu Baba, stated this in an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, in commemoration of this year's World Mosquito Day (WMD) with the theme: "'Fighting the World's Deadliest Killer–The Mosquito".
News Rider reports that WMD was designated annually on August 20, to raise awareness on mosquito-borne diseases, effect on human health and global efforts toward the eradication of the vector..
It was also set aside to commemorate the contributions of a British doctor, Sir Ronald Ross, who discovered that female anopheline mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans in 1897.
In honour of WMD, the EHCON in collaboration with Pest Control Association of Nigeria (PECAN) organised a road walk in Abuja and terminated the event with the fumigation and distribution of mosquito repellant at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp, New Kuchingoro, Abuja.
Represented by Senior Technical Assistant to EHCON's Registrar, Isah Adamu, linked Nigeria's high malaria burden to mosquitoes that caused not only malaria but other parasitic infections.
“It is very important that when we are fighting malaria, we need to concentrate efforts on the vector; over the years, we have not been paying attention to the vector that directly interfere with its habitat and way of life," Baba added.
On measures taken by the Federal Government to eradicate mosquitoes in Nigeria, he noted that though it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Environment but the council has a special disease vector control programme.
He noted that the essence of the programme is to curtail mosquitoes and other parasites that transmit diseases to both humans and animals.
While describing mosquito as a pest, he pleaded with all relevant agencies to join forces with the council in order to kickout the vector from Nigeria.
Currently, mosquitoes cause at least 2.7 million deaths every year and about 500 million cases of mosquito-borne diseases occur annually.
With over 3,500 species of mosquitoes, 90 percent of mosquito-borne illnesses occur in Africa, just as the most prominent diseases linked to mosquitoes include malaria, West Nile virus, yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus.
PECAN members fumigating the New Kuchingoro IDP camp in Abuja. PHOTOS BY CHIKA OKEKE.
On his part, the National President of PECAN, Mr Olakunle Williams said that getting rid of mosquitoes is preventive, which is better than cure.
He noted that the association is collaborating with the Federal Government to curtail the parasite, advising Nigerians to keep the drainages clean and avoid retaining water in containers that could form larva.
Williams noted that government is considering partnering with the private sector in the fight against malaria, saying that PECAN has declared war against mosquitoes to assist the government in attaining the goals.
The National Vice President of PECAN, Tekungwa Abari harped on the need for continuous awareness on the dangers of mosquitoes, as well as to avoid keeping stagnant waters in the environment.
Abari, who is also the Chairman of PECAN, FCT chapter described mosquitoes as the deadliest killer, saying that mosquitoes are killing humans more than all the wars fought and other scourges globally.
He commended EHCON on efforts to eradicate mosquitoes, adding that ridding Nigeria of mosquitoes would end malaria.
He encouraged the Minister of Environment to concentrate more on environmental management and pollution control in order to stop the breeding of mosquitoes and minimise malaria scourge.
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