By Chioma Obinna
Nigerians have been urged to rededicate themselves to personal and communal hygiene as the popular slogan, ‘health is wealth’ is not just theoretical but real even as MTN Foundation kicked- off MTN Foundation Partners against Malaria & AIDS (MTNF-PAMAC) in Lagos.

Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs Abimbola Fashola declared that the idea of blocking drainages is debilitating and unhealthy.

According to her, age long negative habits about the environment must necessarily give way to positive uplifting ones.

Mrs Fashola who lauded the efforts of MTN Foundation and its partner Hope worldwide for blazing the trail toward malaria eradication in the state reminded Nigerians that a healthy environment is an unwelcome terrain for mosquitoes and other diseases bearing creatures.

In her words, “Let us endeavour to take our future and that of our mothers and children into consideration by cultivating healthy habits. Malaria is a killer diseases, let us jointly eradicate this killer before it will eradicate us all”

Noting that AIDS is a killer and when coupled with malaria, the effects are better imagined, she said the MTNF- PAMAC project was designed to protect Nigerians from untimely death.

She recalled that Nigeria account for a quarter of all malaria cases in the 45 malaria endemic countries in Africa and available records show that 300,000 people die in Nigeria annually from malaria infections while 11 per cent of maternal deaths are attributed to malaria.

She charged MTN and Hopeworldwide Nigeria, that apart from distributing Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) and malaria prophylaxis there is need for massive sensitization awareness campaigns on the two killer diseases.

Also, speaking, the Chairman of MTN Foundation, Ambassador Hamzat Ahmadu said the MTNF-PAMAC was another major steps to combat malaria which has proven to be also a major challenge to health.

Ahmadu said the MTNF-PAMAC was informed to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS and now malaria. Also speaking, Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Mr. Nonny Nduka-Eze said the grand project was in partnership with Hope Worldwide Nigeria.

Noting that malaria is currently the greatest cause of infant mortality in the country, he said the international malaria community has roughly one year to meet the 2010 target of delivering effective and affordable protection and treatment to all people at risk of malaria.

“We believe this is a battle we can win if we all join hands. The project has recorded tremendous progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS. By the first quarter of this year, through MTNF – PAMAC, over 6,000 people were counseled and tested out of which 713 were positive.

Giving insight into the MTNF-PAMAC, Executive Director Hope Worldwide, Nigeria, Mr Yemi Osilaja  was optimistic that the project would reach millions of Nigerians with malaria awareness and reduce the malaria scourge especially in pregnant women

He said the six MTNF -PAMAC centres in Lagos, Cross River, Kogi, Sokoto, Gombe and Imo States and the FCT would also be provided with Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLITNs) and intra -partum anti malaria prophylaxis drugs during the antenatal period.