By Princewill Ekwujuru
As the fight against malaria intensifies, Rickett Benkiser Nigeria Limited, owners of the Mortein insecticide brand has received the endorsement of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNAM) over the fight against the scourge.

“We believe that with a brand like Mortein, death rate as a result of malaria attack will be reduced, said Mrs. Olatunde Olusoga, Chairman, Lagos State chapter of the association.  Speaking, Kemi Saliu, Category Manager, Home & Hygiene, said that in Africa and Nigeria particularly, malaria is an underlying fear for most families.

Her words: “In Nigeria alone, more people die of malaria than of HIV/AIDS. Malaria is the number one killer of children and adults in our country. The statistics can be quite frightening – 1 in 10 pregnant women across Africa die from malaria; 85 per cent of malaria deaths are children under 5; 30 of the 35 countries that record malaria death are in Sub-Saharan Africa and finally, the most frightening of all – Nigeria records the highest number of deaths from malaria than any other country.”

Continuing she said: “With these statistics, the Mortein team developed the Mortein voices against Malaria campaign. However, we knew we could not deliver this message alone. Passion for the cause alone would not suffice.

We knew we needed support and it is with immense pleasure that I can say we got that support from the Lagos State Ministry of Health –Malaria Control team and the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) as well as our existing partner, the Nigerian Medical Association.

Contributing, Mr. Ashok Bhasin, Managing Director, Reckitt Benckiser, said that malaria is not just a disease commonly associated with the poor, but also a cause of poverty and a major hindrance to economic development.

He said that Nigeria  reportedly loses over N100 billion annually due to loss in productivity and human lives caused by malaria. “In response to Malaria’s threat against humanity, the World Health Assembly which is the decision-making body of the WHO established the World Malaria Day in May 2007. This day was established to enlighten the populace on prevention and treatment of the deadly disease in endemic areas of the world.”

Further he said: ‘In line with the all-inclusive malaria control strategy, Mortein and Reckitt Benckiser are partnering to lend a helping hand to the vulnerable members of our society.

We at Reckitt Benckiser believe that we can make a real difference by giving people innovative solutions for healthier lives and happier homes. We will therefore be intensifying our investments in our brands in categories of health and hygiene.”