The students of Biological Sciences Department, Crawford University, Ogun State have initiated a public awareness campaign in a bid to eradicate the prevalence of the dreaded disease in Nigeria.
As part of activities marking the World Malaria Day , the student organised public lectures, procession and distributed mosquito nets, insecticides and other mosquito repellents to the locals at Ketu Adieow in Igbesa area of Ogun State.
The public procession saw the students, teaching and non-teaching staff march from the school to the community health centre where public presentation of speeches was made by some of the academic staff of the university. The lectures were aimed at sensitizing the locals on the evils of malaria and how to prevent self from contracting the dreaded disease which is common in the tropics.
The first lecture was delivered by Oniyide Abimbola in Yoruba language for easy assimilation by the target audience. The lecture dwelt on the need for one to keep his/her environment clean through effective sanitation.
President of Biochemistry, Crawford University chapter, Akinola Temiloluwa delivered the second lecture and poke on how to treat and use mosquito nets, insecticides and repellents.
She warned against drying mosquito nets directly under the sun. “If you dry the net under the sun it will reduce the functionality of the insecticide it is treated with,” she said.
Temiloluwa said the net can be spread under a shed or under a tree with very wide branches until it is ready for use.
President of the Microbiology Department, Crawford University chapter Adagbogun Omokeyia said the occasion was their own modest contribution to the fight against the malaria scourge in the country.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. If similar efforts could be registered elsewhere, we believe the fight against malaria can be won,” she said, adding that it will be a sustained fight that would see them carrying out similar events at regular intervals.
