By Chioma Obinna

INDIGENES of Badagry in Lagos State went home with sniles on their faces last week, at the end of a 2-day  free treatment and public enlightenment exercise rolled out by the the Malaria Society of Nigeria in commemoration of 2017 World Malaria Day.

HEALTH SCREENING: A mother and her baby being screened during the health awareness exercise held by Malaria Society of Nigeria in Badagry.

During the event which took place at Tohon area of Badagry,  they recieved free malaria treatment and insecticide treated bed nets and were screened for diabetes and hypertension among others.

Good Health Weekly gathered that prior to commencement of the programme, majority of the residents took solace in traditional  healers and some unorthodox means.

One of the beneficiaries, 62-year-old Isaiah Gbenu, had been treating himself for malaria by traditional methods for years.

According to Esther Ajayi, a dealer in palm oil,  traditional medicine has been the only available treatment for her ailment.

Esther who claimed never to have gone for medical test of any kind, said whenever she is ill with malaria and she goes for herbs.

Also speaking, a teacher at Tohon Methodist Primary School,  AbdulRaman Rukayat, said most of the people embrace traditional medicine.

“Though I do not live in this village, I am pleading with the organisers of the programme to hold it at least twice a year.”

In a chat, the President, Malaria Society of Nigeria, Dr. John Puddicombe, said the programme was taken to the rural riverine village in Badagry called Tohon because of the discovery of the higher incidence of malaria in the riverrine rural areas compared to the urban centres.

Puddicombe said the team had gone round five communities  sensitising and inviting them to participate in the free malaria treatment exercise.

“At the end of the day, everybody that takes part in this programme will get a bed net; those tested positive will be treated with ACT free of charge and give routine drugs for everybody.”

Acting Head of Department, Biochemistry and Nutrition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, Dr Oluwagbemiga Aino, said for eradication of malaria to be a reality, residents in the area should sleep inside long lasting mosquito treated nets.