Ending malaria in Nigeria for good is a core part of Etisalat’s contribution towards a healthy nation as the disease is responsible for 60% outpatient visits to health facilities, 30% childhood death, 25% of death in children under one year and 11% maternal death.
In order to tackle the large number of malaria cases and deaths in the country, Etisalat Nigeria signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Cross River State Government in partnership with Mediatrix Development Foundation to fight the dreaded scourge.
“A nation can only be economically buoyant if it has a vibrant and strong work force, and a healthy population; hence our identification of health as one of our key platforms for Corporate Social Responsibility. As we play our part in the creation of a healthier nation, we enjoin all stakeholders to embrace technology and innovation in the fight against malaria.” Says Ikenna Ikeme, the Director, Regulatory & Corporate Social Responsibility, Etisalat Nigeria.
Wife of the Cross River State Governor and founder of the partner NGO, Mediatrix Development Foundation, Dr. (Mrs) Linda Ayade, also present expressed delight in the capacity of the partnership to help fill the existing gap in the fight against malaria by providing the much needed support to the State structures in the health sector.
The Etisalat Fight Malaria Initiative will aid the establishment of up to 40 Malaria Clubs in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across the state with a mandate to reach approximately 25,000 people in the rural and urban areas, create a Malaria Hub of 2,650 peer educators and 3,150 Malaria Champions within two years.
