By Chioma Obinna

With over 300,000 children dying from malaria annually in Nigeria, the Malaria Society of Nigeria (MSN) has called for the establishment of Malaria Clubs in primary and secondary schools with a view to expand the awareness on the disease.

The National President of the Society, Dr. John Puddicombe who spoke in Lagos during an awareness outreach on malaria at Akere Primary Health Centre, Ajegunle, in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government area of Lagos further noted that establishment of malaria clubs in schools would not only raise the awareness level on malaria but help the government in reducing childhood mortality as well as attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5.

Puddicombe who regretted that the fight against malaria should all embracing regretted that efforts by the Society to push through with the establishment of the Malaria Clubs four years ago, suffered a set back stated that more efforts should be geared towards saving the lives of children and pregnant women that are lost every year to malaria.

He hinted that a proposal for the formation of the clubs in school sent to the Federal Ministry of Health while Prof. Adenike Grange was the health minister “never saw the light of day” and over 100 corporate bodies in Lagos State” for support never responded.