By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

In a renewed push to curb the spread of malaria, over 100 residents of Kubwa, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Saturday benefited from a free malaria testing and treatment outreach organised to commemorate the 2026 World Malaria Day.

The outreach, which drew a large turnout of community members, was spearheaded by the Chief Executive Officer of FANAB Pharmacy and Stores, Pharmacist Maryam Otuoze.

The programme also featured health education sessions focused on malaria prevention and the importance of maintaining a clean environment.

Speaking at the event, Otuoze described malaria as one of the most persistent public health challenges in Africa, noting that Nigeria continues to record a significant number of cases yearly.

She said this year’s theme, “Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can and Now We Must,” underscores the urgency for collective action from individuals, communities and health stakeholders.

According to her, the initiative was aimed at improving access to free malaria diagnosis and treatment, while also promoting preventive measures among residents.

She said, “Today, we are offering free malaria tests, free malaria drugs and educating people on how to prevent the disease.

“We are encouraging them to clear their environment, sleep under treated mosquito nets and maintain healthy diets with fruits and vegetables to strengthen their immunity,” she said.

She further noted that educational materials were distributed to participants to enhance awareness of malaria symptoms, treatment options and prevention strategies.

Otuoze added that the outreach formed part of efforts to give back to the Kubwa community, which has supported the pharmacy over the years, while also strengthening public awareness on malaria eradication.

“We have enjoyed support from this community for years, so we felt it was important to give back while also helping to create awareness,” she said.

She disclosed that the initiative was supported by partner organisations and pharmacies, including New Health Pharmacy, Mediscence Pharmacy, Artepharm Ltd makers of Artequick antimalarial, Comfort Care Pharmacy, Kainos Pharmacy and Ashmedic Pharmacy, which contributed drugs and other logistics.

Calling for sustained public commitment, she urged Nigerians to take proactive steps towards protecting their health and environment.

“Malaria prevention is everyone’s responsibility. It is a deadly disease, but it can be prevented. Prevention is always better than cure,” she said.

Also speaking, one of the beneficiaries, Mrs Arons Joy, a businesswoman and content creator, described the outreach as timely.

Mrs Joy who came for the testing with all of her three children, noted that many families struggle with the rising cost of malaria testing and treatment.

She said, “If you go out to run malaria tests for your family, you know how expensive it can be.

“This programme helped us greatly. It is good to create awareness because malaria still kills people. We hope to see this kind of programme every year.”