ADVERTORIAL
25TH JULY 2025
Yesterday 24th July 2025, at the Global pest management conference which was held at the Marriott Hotel Ikeja, Lagos, and was attended by our organization.
In presentation of the Commissioner for Health Lagos State, Prof. Akin Abayomi, classified Malaria as a “Rare Disease” in Lagos State. That most fever in Lagos are not attributed to Malaria but other health issues, asserting that there has been significant reduction of malaria to 1% in Lagos State.
We find this assertion worrisome, distorted and a calculated attempt to mislead citizens of Lagos and the Global community as to the true state of malaria prevalence in Lagos State.
Let it be on record that our Convener, PCO Francis Nwapa was the only one, among other environmental health and pests control professionals seated in the hall who stood up to challenge this controversial comment.
Our questions to him were:
1. What data is the Lagos State relying on to reach this conclusion?
2. Has the factors that provide breeding spaces for mosquitoes in Lagos State been eradicated?
3. Has Lagos reconstructed drainages and canals in Lagos that there are no longer breeding spaces for mosquitoes and waste water channelled to a central collection point for recycling?
4. Has Lagos State Government Stopped the open dumping of waste in Ojota, Igando and various locations around Lagos to curtail breeding sites for mosquitoes?
5. Has the healthcare system in Lagos State become so affordable that even the poorest families have stopped self-medication and started using primary health care centers and General Hospitals to enable the ministry generate accurate data of Lagosians infected with malaria and other health issues?
5. Did the Lagos State Government imported genetically modified Mosquitoes that their genes are designed to kill the female offspring when they mate?
6. Has mosquito stopped being the vector that transmit malaria?
Could this claim be an avenue to present to Malaria eradication donors and global communities that the huge amounts donated are actually being used to correct the environmental and infrastructural deficit plaguing Lagos State?
Unfortunately, while the commissioner made this assertion in the presence of professionals who were supposed to question the veracity of the claim, the atmosphere was riddled with sycophantic applause.
Environmental Health Professionals must note that our actions and inactions have consequences. Ignoring wrong narratives made by those in authorities about the fight against malaria has a proportional undermining effect on our campaign to end this deadly disease.
Francis Nwapa
Convener: #EndMalariaInNigeria
