#WorldMalariaDay2018: @shaperskano donates mosquito repellents to orphanage

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In commemoration of the 2018 World Malaria Day, and as part of its effort towards addressing local community challenges, the Kano Hub of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, Wednesday donated a set of mosquito repellent coils to the Kano Children’s Home, an orphanage.

“The Kano Hub of Global Shapers Community in partnership with Gongoni Company Limited made donations of mosquito coils to the Nassarawa Orphanage in Kano state as part of our efforts to control malaria in Kano state. Malaria is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by infection with Plasmodium protozoa transmitted by an infective female Anopheles mosquito,” says Hafiz Yaro, a medical doctor and member of the Kano Hub.

Malaria is a major public health challenge in Nigeria, according the Nigeria Malaria Factsheet, the country has the highest malaria cases and Malaria-related deaths in the world;  97% of Nigeria’s population are at the risk of contracting malaria with the remaining 3% of the population said to live in the malaria free highlands.

Moreover, there are an estimated 100 million malaria cases with over 300,000 deaths every year in Nigeria which compares with 215,000 deaths in a year from HIV/AIDS. Also, malaria contributes to an estimated 11% of maternal mortality and accounts for 60% of outpatient visits and 30% of hospitalizations among children under five years of age in Nigeria.

The 25th of April is commemorated every year as World Malaria Day; the current theme is Ready to Beat Malaria.