Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Muhammad Sama’ila-Mera, has pledged to support Rotary Healthy Communities Challenge, RHCC, to combat malaria and other communicable diseases in Kebbi State.
Sama’ila-Mera made the promise on Monday while hosting the delegates of RHCC led by its Country Lead, Dr Dele Balogun at his palace in Argungu.
RHCC is a three-year $30 million project, implemented by Rotary International and PATH.
The project targets the top three killer diseases of children under-five in Nigeria: Malaria, Pneumonia, and Diarrhea.
NAN also reports that RHCC is into partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Kebbi and Akwa Ibom State governments as well as local communities.
Addressing the entourage, the traditional ruler observed that the rainy season is usually accompanied by resurgence of mosquitoes which remain agents of malaria fever and other related diseases.
He, however, stated that with the intervention of RHCC, the three top killer diseases would be effectively put under control.
While appreciating the organisation for choosing Kebbi as one of the benefiting states, the emir also lauded it for selecting his domain to be part of the programme.
“I want to assure you of our maximum support any day, anytime, we shall support your initiative to ensure that our communities get the needed medical aid to get better,” he said.
The royal father said he had held a meeting with imams and community leaders on the need to pay attention to the interaction with the RHCC team.
This, he said, was with a view to cascade correct information to their people, adding that, “I also directed them to report back to me any resistance.”
Addressing journalists shortly after the engagement with the emir and community leaders, the country lead expressed satisfaction with the community members for according the engagement special priority by turning out in large numbers despite the heavy rain.
According to Balogun, the engagement trained participants on how to handle diseases like malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia.
“We shall be going from one village to the other in the six local government areas selected by the organisation to checkmate these diseases,” he said.
In his remarks, the District Head of Gulma, Alhaji Muhammad Bashar-Gulma, who is also a focal person on primary healthcare in Argungu Emirate, urged community leaders to take the campaign seriously to curb the scourge of the killer diseases.
Men and women leaders from various communities in Argungu Emirate, Alhaji Sa’adu Abdullahi-Gulma and Hajiya Zuwaira Musa, respectively, assured RHCC and other development partners that they would take their task seriously for the benefit of their people.
They observed that the campaign would go a long way in reducing maternal mortality in their community. NAN
