Posted on: Thu 01-05-2025

On April 25th, the University of Lagos didn't just host an event—it ignited a movement. In commemoration of World Malaria Day 2025, the campus transformed into a hub of hope and health as leading organisations like Green Life Pharmaceuticals, Green Life Hospital, Seagreen Pharmaceutical, and Clearline HMO rallied together with a singular mission: end malaria in Nigeria, for good.

With the rallying cry “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” this wasn’t just another health awareness campaign. It was a call to action, aimed directly at the people who matter most in this fight: the youth.

In a country where malaria still kills thousands every year—despite being entirely preventable—this campaign didn’t just hand out free test kits and medications. It delivered something more powerful: knowledge, agency, and community engagement. And in doing so, it reminded us that true public health transformation begins not in policy papers, but in crowded lecture halls, dorm rooms, and neighborhoods where the next generation is ready to listen and lead.

Mr. Peter Nwosu of Green Life Pharmaceuticals said it best: “We are here not just to mark a global health awareness day but to make a real difference.” And make a difference they did. Hundreds of students participated, getting tested, asking questions, and—perhaps most importantly—getting inspired to become advocates in their own right.

Dr. Oghenerukevwe Peretomode of Clearline HMO delivered a much-needed reality check: malaria isn’t going away unless we fight it together. From government policies to personal habits, from environmental hygiene to proper use of mosquito nets, she highlighted the interconnected nature of the challenge. Her warning about climate change fueling malaria’s resurgence—through increased flooding and stagnant water—was a reminder that this isn’t just a health issue, it’s an ecological one.

But the most powerful part of this campaign wasn’t in the speeches—it was in the strategic focus on youth. As Mr. Chris Ikeagu of Green Life Hospital passionately argued, young people are the most important messengers. Why? Because they are not just the leaders of tomorrow—they’re the influencers of today. “Older generations know malaria,” he said, “but prevention starts with youth education.”

That statement hits hard. For far too long, we’ve relied on top-down solutions to grassroots problems. But here was a campaign that trusted the youth to lead, to carry these messages into their homes, churches, mosques, and digital spaces. That is how sustainable change happens.

This event wasn’t performative. It wasn’t just another PR-driven outreach. It was genuine, grounded, and goal-oriented. And in a country often weighed down by cynicism, it was refreshing to see corporate, medical, and educational institutions unite for something that matters deeply to all of us.

Because here’s the truth: we have the tools to end malaria. We know how it spreads. We know how to prevent it. We even know how to treat it. What we need is consistent action, inclusive engagement, and a relentless belief that we can—and must—eradicate it.

So as the campaign's slogan echoed through the halls of UNILAG—“Malaria Ends with Us”—it didn’t sound like wishful thinking. It sounded like a promise. A shared pact between institutions and individuals. Between this generation and the next.

And if this event is any indication, Nigeria might finally be ready to keep that promise.

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