A corps member serving in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nwebonyi Ifeanyi Cornelius, has embarked on a malaria outreach programme after witnessing a pregnant woman slump in a market.
Cornelius said the woman, who collapsed beside him, was rushed to a nearby health facility where doctors confirmed she was suffering from acute malaria.
The experience, he explained, motivated him to initiate the project as a way of giving back to society and raising awareness about the disease.
“With that incident, I chose to be at the frontline, joining forces and my voice to the various state health actors to build a more healthy community. That is why the theme of this malaria outreach is Healthy Communities,” he said.
Three communities reached
So far, the outreach has been carried out in three communities in Yenagoa — Amarata, Azikoro and Agbura — with about 1,300 beneficiaries.
The programme featured health talks, free medical consultations, testing, treatment, and the distribution of treated mosquito nets.
Cornelius described the initiative as a timely and strategic intervention in the fight against malaria, which remains a major public health challenge in Bayelsa State.
