Bill Gates has said that his Foundation is working to end Malaria in Nigeria within the next twenty years (2045).

Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and chairman of the Bill Gates Foundation, gave the assurance shortly after being conferred with one of Nigeria’s highest national honours, the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic CFR, by President Bola Tinubu in Lagos, on Tuesday.

Gates, who described the project as ” ambitious”, however, assured that it will be achieved.

“Some of our goals will seem ambitious; for example, in the next twenty years, we hope to eradicate malaria.”

Malaria, one of the most dreaded diseases, especially in Nigeria, has for several years defied solution, with Nigeria accounting for nearly 31% of global deaths.

The death toll from the disease was estimated at 194,000 in 2021 in Nigeria alone, making it the country with the highest Malaria burden.

Unless something is urgently done to arrest the sliding economy, which has skyrocketed the price of everything in the market, many households in Nigeria may soon suffer one form of food poisoning or the other.

It may not be that they intended to do so, but the search for cheaper alternatives to goods and services whose prices are on the rooftop will drive the unfortunate development.

Without any pride in doomsday prophecy, the families that are likely to suffer this unfortunate health hazard will most likely contact it through consumable food items.

Most prominent among them is the palm oil – a cooking oil, popularly known as red oil.

In the past few years there has been a gradual increase in the price of palm oil, but most recently the increase has jumped beyond 100 per cent.

Yet, it is even hardly seen to buy.

Apparently as a result, many families are not only looking for one to buy but also where to buy it at a cheaper rate.

This scramble has resulted in many dubious business people indulging in the adulteration of an item which is almost indispensable in preparing a good meal, especially the African soup.

It was discovered that the most common ingredient used in adulterating the palm oil is a dangerous chemical known as red oxide – a reddish pigment from Iron (III) oxide.

A palm oil dealer said: “Some sellers mix a chemical called red oxide with original palm oil to become more red to increase profits.

Twenty-five litres of palm oil is now over N50,000So to increase profits, some greedy sellers add the substance to some brands of palm oil that are not very good, to make it look reddish and sell it like the real palm oil.

However, the adulteration results in the sudden change in the color and taste of the oil when it is left over, a day or two.

A palm oil dealer said: “Some sellers mix a chemical called red oxide with original palm oil to become more red to increase profits.

Meanwhile, the implications are telling on people’s lives.

Mrs. Yemisi Oloyode, a fashion designer, complained to us: “Recently everyone in my house has been complaining of a runny stomach . I was really bothered and decided to stop using the palm oil I bought from the market recently.

I bought that oil outside my usual customer who supplies me original palm oil, because she ran out of stock.

“At first, I suspected the colour of the oil and the taste was also different.

“Another reason I fell for it was because it was cheap. “But, from the day I started cooking with it, every member of my household was complaining of stomach bite and runny stomach. However, when I stopped using it, the complaints stopped. “It was then I knew the problem was from the palm oil. I assessed it again and discovered it looks weird.

“It is only God that will save us in this country,” she added. Mrs. Gladys Douglas, a teacher, said: “I have been very cautious with whatever I buy in the market these days.

“Few weeks ago , I bought red oil and poured some inside a bowl. After cooking, I took the bowl outside for washing. But within a few minutes, the remnant of the oil in the bowl had turned to pink.

“I had to return the gallon of oil to the seller. She was pleading with me, explaining that what she sold was what she was supplied.

”Palm oil has become so expensive that a 5 litre keg that used to cost N5,000 is now N12,000. That is even depending on the location one is making the purchase.

Another palm oil supplier who only identified himself as Mr Jay confirmed that the adulterated oil has permeated almost all markets where food items are sold, and that it takes very vigilant and experienced customers to know the difference between them and the original palm oil.

He said: “It is very rampant in the market now and many people hardly know.

“It is not only the retailers that are indulging in the adulteration, even suppliers do such to increase profits.

“I buy my palm oil from a credible source and let my customers know why my product is more expensive than others.

“But you know Nigerians love awoof. They prefer patronizing the fake palm oil sellers.

“Only a few people can identify the original palm oil. ”Red oxide is a common name for iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3), a reddish-colored pigment. It is naturally found as hematite, a major iron ore, and is widely used in paints, pigments, and other industries.

Mr. Adeolu Aderibigbe, a Science Laboratory Technician, warned that the chemical is very dangerous to human health and can lead to food poisoning if consumed in large quantities.

“Human ingestion of red oxide is very dangerous to health because this chemical is used in some industries to manufacture products like paints. “It can cause food poisoning and impair the kidneys, liver, and central nervous system.”

the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has donated a brand-new ambulance to Mainland Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.

The donated ambulance is expected to greatly improve the hospital’s emergency response capabilities, enabling swift mobility for critical cases and enhancing overall efficiency in disease outbreak responses.

The hospital’s MD/CEO, Dr. Adejumo Adedeji Olusola, said that the donation has addressed a longstanding challenge, allowing the hospital to perform tasks that were previously impossible.

“We are really grateful, and our sincere gratitude goes to Mr. Aliko Dangote. We lacked an ambulance for about 10 years, but now we have one we can boast of thanks to Mr. Aliko Dangote,” Dr. Olusola said.

The Aliko Dangote Foundation has been at the forefront of major health interventions in Nigeria, including efforts to combat malnutrition, polio, and pandemic outbreaks.

This donation reflects the foundation’s broader mission to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure.

Dr. Francis Aminu, Director of Health and Nutrition at ADF, emphasized the foundation’s dedication to improving the lives of Nigerians, particularly in the health sector.

“What we do at ADF isn’t just charity, it’s a duty. We believe that every Nigerian life is valuable, and health is the foundation on which all other aspirations are built; no Nigerian should be left behind due to a lack of access to essential health resources,” he stated.