The Executive Chairman of Ikeja Local Government, Comrade Akeem Olalekan Dauda (AKOD), has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to partnering with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and the World Bank-supported IMPACT Project to combat malaria and improve environmental health across the council area.
According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Local Government Chairman, Adeola Ogunlade, AKOD made the pledge during a courtesy visit by officials of the project ahead of the commencement of the Larval Source Management (LSM) intervention in Ikeja.
The council chairman said environmental sanitation and the health of residents remain top priorities of his administration, noting that the weekly environmental sanitation exercise, which he personally leads every Thursday, reflects the council’s determination to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and create a healthier environment.
“We are passionate about the environment because the health of our people is paramount. When I learnt more about this project, I immediately keyed into it because malaria remains a major public health challenge. Ikeja Local Government will give this initiative 100 per cent support. We are ready to provide logistics, office accommodation, community engagement and every necessary support to ensure its success,” AKOD said.
He also pledged to mobilise Community Development Associations (CDAs), community leaders and other stakeholders to ensure residents embrace the programme, stressing that active public participation and sustained environmental sanitation are essential to eliminating malaria.
Earlier, the Project Manager of the World Bank-supported IMPACT Project under the National Malaria Elimination Programme, Mr. Philip Okoko, said the intervention is aimed at reducing malaria transmission by identifying and treating mosquito breeding sites before mosquitoes mature and spread the disease.
Okoko noted that although Lagos State has recorded significant progress in malaria control, additional interventions are required to achieve malaria elimination.
He appealed to the Ikeja Local Government to support the initiative through community mobilisation, logistics and advocacy to ensure the successful implementation of the project.
