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By Derrick Osondu
Zeithaml et al (1984) posited that the fundamental responsibility of marketing is to effect change in the external environment in which a business operates. Marketing’s role as an agent of change at the business level is a theme that can be traced back to Alderson (1961), who depicted marketing as a process of arriving at desirable outcomes.
Greenlife Pharmaceuticals Limited is a wholesome manufacturing and distribution concern, with marketing of affordable medicines, especially anti-malaria drugs, being at the heart of our business. As a marketing concern, the company has been committed to deploying this to effect a drastic reduction in deaths attributable to malaria in Nigeria, through the provision of information by way of education and enlightenment.
Through the years, Greenlife has consistently provided affordable malaria commodities across the length and breadth of Nigeria. However, to ensure proper and rational use of these malaria commodities, it has, year on year, deployed significant resources towards marketing communications and public education on the use of the malaria commodities, especially ACTs; the WHO-approved treatment standard for P. falciparum malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim is to point to availability, improve uptake and ensure their proper use following rapid testing and diagnosis.
This has proven to be successful in recent years, leading to steady advances in lowering the global burden of malaria between 2000 and 2015. However, progress has stalled or slowed in recent years, particularly in high burden countries in sub-Saharan Africa made worse by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, urgent and concerted efforts are needed to set the world back on a trajectory towards achieving the 2030 target of the WHO global malaria strategy.
So, it can be safely said that a co-ordinated approach by global partners anchored on marketing can help bring about social behavioural change that can lead to individuals taking decisive action to improve their health.
As Nigeria celebrate another World Malaria Day, aptly themed “Harness innovation to reduce the Malaria disease burden and save lives,” there is a need for all stakeholders to once again spread the word that, together we can tackle this monster. All that is required is an outward sign, which is an expression of an inward commitment to bring an end to this age-old scourge.
•Derrick Osondu works with Greenlife Pharmaceuticals Limited
