By Muhammad Tanko Shittu
Jos
As part of its plan to eradicate the scourge of malaria and its consequences, the Islamic Counselling Initiative of Nigeria (ICIN) has doled out drugs to some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Plateau state.
ICIN executive director, Hajiya Fatima Suleiman, said the organisation in collaboration with the NASCO Group of Companies’ health initiative, would continue to work towards eradicating the disease in communities.
She said this in her opening remarks at the distribution of the Mosquito treated nets to and some clothing to the IDPs in Gyel community in Jos South local government area of Plateau state.
“We are now targeting the IDPs for the fact that they are vulnerable to mosquito bites, hence the need for them to be protected,” he said.
Blueprint reports that lab technicians from the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), led by Dr. Dapline Augustine, had supported the ICIN/ NASCO health initiative by conduct malaria tests on children as well as mothers and provided them with anti-malaria vaccines and medication.
In his remarks, Augustine tasked parents to ensure proper use of the treated nets and malaria drugs for the protection of their children and pregnant women.
“It is important because malaria is rampant; it is a disease that most children and women infected with and a lot of them have been killed, most especially where we find stagnant water and farming,” he said.
He said though the number of people getting infected had dropped in the country due to the awareness campaigns, “people should ensure that they continue to use the nets, always clean their environment, and do away with stagnant dirty water and grasses.”
It was gathered that about four hundred children, Women and some men that come from Mangu, Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas of the state benefited from the gesture.
Some other IDPs from part of Kaduna state also benefitted from the gesture.
