Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) and United States President’s Malaria Initiative (US-PMI), over the weekend, flagged off the distribution of treated mosquito net on Bonny Island as part of plans to make the island Nigeria’s first malaria-free zone.
According to a statement, the campaign is part of an implementation plan for the Bonny Island Malaria Elimination Project (BNYMEP) led by NLNG, in collaboration with U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (US-PMI), the Rivers State Ministry of Health and the Grand Bonny Kingdom. A five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement the project was signed in March 2021 by NLNG’s Management and the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard.
Speaking on the campaign, NLNG’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Philips Mshelbila, stated that the distribution of treated nets was critical to making Bonny Island malaria-free and commended the US-PMI for donating 273,450 treated nets worth millions of naira.
He stated further that since the signing of the MoU in 2021, NLNG and its partners have been working behind the scenes to provide free treatments for pregnant women and children under the age of five, and build the capacity of service delivery staff and community volunteers on a roadmap to achieving shared goals.
“In March 2021, we signed an MoU with the United States President’s Malaria Initiative (US-PMI) to partner with the BNYMEP on this noble venture to offer technical and material support when required. That partnership is running smoothly, and our achievements within given timelines are positive. Our collective vision is to make Bonny Island Nigeria’s first malaria-free zone and a model for Africa. The continuous use of these nets will play a pivotal role in achieving this vision,” he added.
He called on the Bonny community to seize the moment and change the narrative on malaria on the island. He added that the Bonny Community Health Insurance Programme (BCHIP), a Community-Based Health Insurance initiative sponsored by NLNG in partnership with the Rivers State Government and Bonny Kingdom, continues to provide easy access to treatment.
Malaria remains one of the deadliest diseases globally, and Nigeria still records many casualties.
NLNG is an incorporated Joint Venture owned by four Shareholders, namely, the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (49%), Shell Gas B.V. (25.6%), TotalEnergies Gaz & Electricité Holdings (15%), and Eni International N.A. N. V. S.àr.l (10.4%).