MALARIA DAY: Lafarge flags off medical outreach
Emmanuel Alfred
In commemoration of the 2022 World Malaria Day, Construction giants, Lafarge Nigeria has flagged off its free medical outreach in Akansoko community in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The exercise which was brought about by the Mediatrix Development Foundation, Cross River State Ministry of Health and the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, took place on Monday, April 29, 2022 at the Primary Health Centre, Akansoko.
Speaking on behalf of Lafarge Acting Plant Manager, Idara Uyok, the Health and Safety Manager, Mr Johnson Akubueze said Malaria is one of the biggest killer diseases with over 600,000 recorded deaths annually.
He said April 25th every year is set aside as World Malaria Day to draw attention to the devastating impacts of Malaria on the health of people, especially women and children and to also create awareness on the possible ways of preventing the parasite.
While stating the theme of the 2022 World Malaria Day, which is, “Harness Innovation to Reduce the Malaria Disease Burden and Save Lives”, Akubueze declared that “We in Lafarge we are the promoters of health. One thing that concerns us most is the health of our employees. Each year we organize a comprehensive health check to be sure that all the contractors and employees working for us are healthy. It’s because of that that we are also transferring this to the communities.”
In the same vein, the Chief Operating Officer of Mediatrix Development Foundation, Mr Adamade Jeffrey, said the Foundation has been partnering with Lafarge in the last couple of years to deliver free medical outreach, which is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the company to its host communities.
He said the free medical outreach covers, amongst other ailments, Malaria testing and treatment, eye care, HIV/AIDs testing, distribution of drugs and Insecticide Treated Nets.
