From Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi state government in collaboration with the United States President's Malaria Initiative (US-PMI) and other malaria partners will be distributing over 2 million Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) to the residents of the state soon.
This was disclosed by the State Malaria Elimination Programme Manager, Mr Lawrence Nwankwo on Tuesday during the media parley for the 2022 ITNS mass distribution campaign in Ebonyi State.
Nwankwo who delivered a speech on the "Role of Media in the ITN Mass Campaign" described malaria as a life-threatening disease transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
He said the available reports have proved "that there is a reduction in malaria prevalence in Nigeria from 27 per cent in 2015 to 23 per cent in 2018."
According to him, Nigeria accounts for nearly 110 million clinically diagnosed cases per year and an estimated 30 per cent of children and 11 per cent of maternal deaths each year are due to malaria.
Nwankwo and other facilitators during the media parley including Babatunde Femi - a Consultant with the Breakthrough Action - Nigeria (BA-N) who spoke on "Frequently Asked Questions" and "Tips on Proper Net Hanging and the Use with the Overview of the ITNs Mass Campaign delivered by Godwin Godson of the GHSC-PSM, underscored that malaria has exerted a huge social and economic burden on Nigerian communities, leading to the loss of billions of Naira annually inform of treatment cost, prevention and at the expense of man hours.
The facilitators of the programme recommended sleeping inside an Insecticide Treated Net as one of the best ways to prevent malaria as it forms a physical and chemical barrier against mosquitoes.
They recalled studies had shown that the use of ITNs reduced malaria incidence by 50 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa a region which accounts for more than 90 per cent of global cases.
Speaking further, Mr Lawrence Nwankwo said: "To reduce the burden of malaria in Ebonyi, the state government through the State Ministry of Health and in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and the United States President's Malaria Initiative (US-PMI) is currently implementing a Net distribution campaign to distribute 2,083,683 Insecticide - Treated Nets (ITNs) to every household in Ebonyi State."
He said that there would be a House mobilisation exercise during which persons wearing uniforms with the malaria logo, visit different homes from 11th to 17th December 2022.
All households, according to him, would be registered in 10LGAs and use digital technology called ICT4D to mobilise the households, to be deployed in 3LGAs including Ohaozara, Ebonyi, and Ezza North LGAs for their Net cards.
He said the Net cards will be entitled each household to a free net which would be given upon their registration.
He added: "Distribution of the free nets will commence from 27th January to 3rd February 2023," noting that "all registered households will go to the distribution centres written on their network cards to collect a free net."
He, therefore, advised the intending beneficiaries to "please air the new net for 24 hours before hanging and sleeping inside with the edges well tucked in over a sleeping area every night, all year round. Bring down your old nets and hang the new ones for better protection from mosquito bites that cause malaria."
