Ogun fights malaria with 3m insecticide-treated nets
Published By: Paul Dada
By Adejoke Adeleye
The Ogun State Government is gearing up to distribute three million insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) to residents throughout the state as a proactive measure against malaria.
The state government says the initiative aligns with its” continuous healthcare enhancements and commitment to alleviating the malaria impact on the community.”
Speaking at a media engagement in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on Monday, Olamide Adeyinka, the Malaria Programme Manager in the state, disclosed that the household mobilisation and registration will commence on 31st October to 6th November, while the net distribution will kick off on 19th to 23rd of November.
Adeyinka equally stressed that the exercise will focus more on people who are living in rural areas where the risk of malaria is higher.
She said, “The objective of the ITNs mass campaign is to ensure that for every two persons, there is one-bed net to sleep inside, Households mobilization and registration will commence from the 31st October to the 6th of November”
She urged all households to have someone present at home within the period to provide information to the household mobilizers.
On his part, the Project Director, Global Fund Malaria, SFH, Mr John Ocholi, decried the low level of insecticide treated nets usage in Ogun , saying that the state currently records low percentage usage.
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He said residents as a matter of urgency need to start making use of their mosquito nets to prevent themselves from malaria, and encouraged families and children to make use of their nets in their various homes.
Mr Ocholi disclosed that the essence of the free distribution of the treated net was to combat the scourge of Malaria and make the country achieve zero pandemic just like Egypt, Algeria and Cape Verde in Africa.
He added that the use of ITN would help to reduce financial burden committed to medical care of Malaria and therefore make more resources available for the household to take care of other basic needs like feeding, accommodation, schooling among others.
His words “it is against this background that in partnership with Ogun State government, 3.1million insecticide treated nets will be distributed to households across the state.
“We have 14,000 personnel that will help with this exercise and 1,400 distribution points for collection of these nets and so we urged the media to help us spread this information to create maximum awareness”.
“The Project Director however disclosed further that the ITN distribution will be targeted and therefore household or settlements in areas where the prevalence of Malaria is deemed lower according to the available data will not get these nets.”
Ocholi stated that pregnant women and children under five years in these prioritised local governments or areas will be asked to go to the government health facilities around them for their nets.
