2024 World Malaria Day: Association distributes free drugs, others in Bwari community

Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), FCT chapter, on Thursday, distributed free drugs to members of Bwari community in Abuja in a campaign against malaria.

Mr Onileowo Kayode, the Assistant Coordinator of the programme, told NEWSVERGE on the sidelines of the event, that the gesture was to commemorate the 2024 World Malaria Day (WMD).

NEWSVERGE reports that WMD is annually celebrated on April 25 to highlight global efforts to end malaria, the need for sustained political commitment and continued investment for malaria control and elimination.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world.”

However, Kayode said that the association’s gesture, tagged “Pharmacy Strengthening Health Systems,” was in collaboration with the FCT Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria.

He added that the programme was coordinated by ACPN, Kubwa zone, with a view to reaching out to the vulnerable in rural area of Bwari community.

He said “those in the rural areas are most vulnerable to malaria and so, we decided to reach out and educate them on hygiene, give them the necessary information on malaria and how to prevent or treat it.

“We will also enlighten them on how they can have access to drugs from other private partners or government programmes like the Roll Back Malaria and the likes.

“For today, we will carry out free Rapid Malaria tests for as many as have turned out, we will give free counselling and also free frugs to each of them.”

The assistant coordinator also said that other drugs like antibiotics, multivitamins and anthelmintics for deworming were part of the package to be distributed freely to members of the community.

He explained that 25 pharmacists were on ground to attend to the people, while also sensitising them on how they can identify and patronise registered pharmaceuticals for authentic drugs within the community.

This, he said, was also a campaign against the use of fake and illicit drugs, as well as against unregistered pharmacies.

Mr Morris Bwaya, the Supervisory Councilor for Bwari Area Council, who spoke on behalf of the Chairman of the council, Mr John Gabaya, thanked the association for the gesture.

He said it was a timely development which would complement the efforts of the council toward ensuring better health for residents.

Bwaya said “the association has done wonderfully well, I am glad they chose Bwari for this outreach and as we remain grateful, we also pray and hope that the synergy will be strengthened to further assist our people.

“The council will continue to thrive in ensuring that some of these drugs are provided and sold at our different health centres at subdised rates.”

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Ladi Paul, who expressed joy after receiving an antimalaria drug, told NAN that she would take the counsel from the association, seriously.

Similarly, Mrs Sarauniya Danjuma, another beneficiary, said it was the first time she was receiving free drug and she was grateful she benefitted.

She promised to keep her environment cleanest all times, while also sensitising others on the latest knowledge she received.

NEWSVERGE reports that the outreach, which took place in front of the Esu Bwari’s palace, had a large turnout, with both the young, including children and aged men and women.