A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ms. Blessing Nwokeoma, has donated anti-malaria items and sanitation materials to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, as part of her Community Development Service (CDS) project.
The donation, made on Monday, was targeted at pregnant and nursing mothers at the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Unit of the hospital, where she is currently serving.
In total, the NYSC corps member, Nwokeoma presented 25 insecticide-treated nets, 40 tubes of mosquito repellent creams, 20 insecticide sprays, 200 doses of antimalarial drugs, and a waste bin drum to the hospital community.
Explaining the motivation behind her project, Nwokeoma said:
“This occasion is to sensitise the audience to the dangers of malaria, prevention and treatment, in addition to the mode of transmission of the disease. Millions of people die yearly of malaria and, of course, Bayelsa is a state where malaria is prevalent. Though most people know about malaria, they don’t really take preventive measures seriously. This is the reason why I am carrying out the programme.”
She added that her background in Biochemistry and her experience as a healthcare professional informed her decision to embark on the initiative.
Nwokeoma also stressed the link between sanitation and malaria prevention, noting that she donated the waste bin to discourage indiscriminate littering around the hospital premises.
“If you put refuse on the floor, it can create a fertile ground for mosquitoes to breed,” she said.
She expressed gratitude to the NYSC for providing young Nigerians the platform to give back to society and urged fellow corps members to initiate personal CDS projects, no matter how modest.
Receiving the items, the Head of Clinical Services at FMC Yenagoa, Dr. Gesiye Bozimo, commended her for the gesture.
“I commend your selfless act and enjoin other corps members to emulate your gesture. The items are expected to benefit patients and staff at the facility, particularly in the fight against malaria,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr. Joy Akahome, a Senior Lecturer at the Federal University, Otuoke, highlighted the economic burden of malaria and praised the initiative.
“When you are down with malaria, it affects the family. You cannot go about your business. If it is your child, you will be forced to abandon everything you are doing to take care of the child. You will also use money to buy drugs. Hence, the need to commend this initiative. What she did was very remarkable. A lot of people do not have the courage to do that,” she noted.
She further observed that malaria prevention efforts like this could also create opportunities for social entrepreneurship, given the widespread impact of the disease.
