AS malaria epidemic threatens residents of Warri South council area of Delta State, the NNPC/Chevron Joint venture yesterday at Ubeji flagged off the Roll Back Malaria, RBM, programme as its contribution to check the ailment and support development of the health sector.

The RBM campaign project is in conjunction with the Omawumi Foundation and the Delta State Ministry of health. Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the Chairman and Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, Mr. Fred Nelson, represented by the Warri area manager, Mr. Emmanuel Momoh said they are involved in the RBM initiative because malaria present a major challenge in Nigeria where the company operates, noting that "Chevron's vitality is dependent on the health and well being of its employees and communities around her areas of operations".

On her part, Chairman of Omawumi Foundation and member representing Warri-South One constituency in the State House of Assembly, Mrs. Omawumi Udoh said so far over 2,863 persons have been treated of malaria fever January-September, 2008 saying that "malaria kills faster and quicker than the dreaded HIV/AIDS".

According to the law maker, her experiences as a child who suffered thoroughly from the killer disease informed why she decided to use her office and privileged position today to help prevent and control the spread in the communities around.

Drugs and insecticide treated mosquito nets worth millions of naira were later distributed free to the more than five hundred mothers and pregnant women present at the occasion.