SOMETIMES IN APRIL...
My eldest sister was like my second mother.
My other siblings even one older than her called her Mama.
I never did because even though she was a mother to all She was still a sister, daughter and child of my mother.
She too needed love, play, fun, care, protection and help.
The first time I recall any of us being admitted in the Hospital was when she had malaria.
She was AA and growing up I was made to believe that people with A A genotype were prone to malaria.
She however recovered beautifully and life went on.
On the morning of 25th April 2012 from One side of Nigeria in Ibadan
I received A call that I'd prayed never to receive from the other side of Nigeria in Onitsha.
It was my brother-in-law
With tears he told me that my sister
Was no more!
Apparently I was the first to be called because
The lines of other family members were not connecting.
It was a day that marked the end and beginning
Of many things.
Inasmuch as I'd always appreciated life and been fully aware of death,
I still immediately felt the vacuum my sister's death would leave in so many quarters.
No, she didn't die of malaria, she was taken.
April 25th! April! What a month.
April is a truly 'full' month.
I've a number of friends whose birthdays are 25th
But what can I say, it's no ordinary day.
It's also World Malaria Day.
It's the day that took me for the first time out of my PPA to Bodinga Local Government Area, Sokoto in 2009 where I first joined my friends and colleagues to mark the World Malaria Day.
It was in that same Sokoto that I'd the pleasure of being there when Bill Gates visited (but for the purpose of polio).
Exactly 10 years today!
Coincidentally it became a day that barely 3 years after it would mean something else to me. But it's still World Malaria Day.
It's a day where the deadly sickness is focused on. It's still a day where many who have lost their battle to malaria are remembered in order to prevent more deaths. It's a day where we ask ourselves,
"Can't this malaria just be eradicated?"
But the answers lie in so many factors some of which we mildly undertake in TLF.
1. In March our theme is Nature a.k.a. the environment
Where we encourage a cleaner and healthier environment to curb the menace of mosquitoes.
2. In August our theme is Family
Where we inspire love among families to foster solidarity, unity and the bond of friendship. The family first introduces us to the use of mosquito nets, repellant, coils, drugs and the old time chloroquine! The family fights malaria together and yes mosquitoes!
3. In September our theme is Learning a.k.a. literacy
Where we motivate people to embrace learning not as a status symbol but as a tool for development. USS taught me that knowledge for service is our aim. Learning makes us embrace practises that reduce and can even eradicate the prevalence of mosquitoes and malaria.
The month of April whose theme is Health is winding up and God willing next year April we will do this again. But in these remaining days we can share new or personal ideas and experiences on how we can curb malaria in more effective ways.
Join me to remember Benson April 8-April 9, Madam Josie April 9-Jan 9, Nneoma Jan 25-April 9, Deborah April 9-July 22, and Anna Jun 28-Apr 25
How are we going to mark the day?
Tina
For: TLF
My eldest sister was like my second mother.
My other siblings even one older than her called her Mama.
I never did because even though she was a mother to all She was still a sister, daughter and child of my mother.
She too needed love, play, fun, care, protection and help.
The first time I recall any of us being admitted in the Hospital was when she had malaria.
She was AA and growing up I was made to believe that people with A A genotype were prone to malaria.
She however recovered beautifully and life went on.
On the morning of 25th April 2012 from One side of Nigeria in Ibadan
I received A call that I'd prayed never to receive from the other side of Nigeria in Onitsha.
It was my brother-in-law
With tears he told me that my sister
Was no more!
Apparently I was the first to be called because
The lines of other family members were not connecting.
It was a day that marked the end and beginning
Of many things.
Inasmuch as I'd always appreciated life and been fully aware of death,
I still immediately felt the vacuum my sister's death would leave in so many quarters.
No, she didn't die of malaria, she was taken.
April 25th! April! What a month.
April is a truly 'full' month.
I've a number of friends whose birthdays are 25th
But what can I say, it's no ordinary day.
It's also World Malaria Day.
It's the day that took me for the first time out of my PPA to Bodinga Local Government Area, Sokoto in 2009 where I first joined my friends and colleagues to mark the World Malaria Day.
It was in that same Sokoto that I'd the pleasure of being there when Bill Gates visited (but for the purpose of polio).
Exactly 10 years today!
Coincidentally it became a day that barely 3 years after it would mean something else to me. But it's still World Malaria Day.
It's a day where the deadly sickness is focused on. It's still a day where many who have lost their battle to malaria are remembered in order to prevent more deaths. It's a day where we ask ourselves,
"Can't this malaria just be eradicated?"
But the answers lie in so many factors some of which we mildly undertake in TLF.
1. In March our theme is Nature a.k.a. the environment
Where we encourage a cleaner and healthier environment to curb the menace of mosquitoes.
2. In August our theme is Family
Where we inspire love among families to foster solidarity, unity and the bond of friendship. The family first introduces us to the use of mosquito nets, repellant, coils, drugs and the old time chloroquine! The family fights malaria together and yes mosquitoes!
3. In September our theme is Learning a.k.a. literacy
Where we motivate people to embrace learning not as a status symbol but as a tool for development. USS taught me that knowledge for service is our aim. Learning makes us embrace practises that reduce and can even eradicate the prevalence of mosquitoes and malaria.
The month of April whose theme is Health is winding up and God willing next year April we will do this again. But in these remaining days we can share new or personal ideas and experiences on how we can curb malaria in more effective ways.
Join me to remember Benson April 8-April 9, Madam Josie April 9-Jan 9, Nneoma Jan 25-April 9, Deborah April 9-July 22, and Anna Jun 28-Apr 25
How are we going to mark the day?
Tina
For: TLF
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