Nasarawa State government in collaboration with the United States government and National Malaria Elimination Program is to commence distribution of one point eight million Insecticide-Treated Nets, ITNs to every households by December, 2025 to reduce the burden of Malaria in the state.
The State commissioner for health, Doctor Gaza Gwamna announced this in Lafia at a media parley for the ITN mass campaign in the state.
Doctor Gaza Gwamna stated that Nigeria accounts for Over 68 million Malaria cases annually and an estimated 30% of child and 11% of maternal deaths each year due to the disease.
“Malaria remains the most common cause of absenteeism from schools, offices, farms, markets, ete, resulting in lower
productivity, It exerts a huge social and economic burden on our communties and country, billions of Naira are lost to malaria annually in the form of treatment cost, prevention, and loss of man hours.’
He stressed the need for residents to always sleep inside an insecticide-treated net because evidence has proven it to be one of the best ways to prevent malaria, as it is a physical and chemical barrier against mosquitoes.
The Commissioner of Health warned against the use of the nets for unwholesome practices such as fish farming.
The State Director Public Health, Doctor Peter Attah explained that out of the one point eight million Insecticide-Treated Nets, three hundred thousand will be distributed to households in Karu Local government area while two hundred and fifty will be distributed in Lafia local government and Wamba local government will receive seventy thousand, the lowest across the thirteen local government areas of the state based on the population of the LGAs.
Doctor Attah also highlighted the impact of the previous intervention noting that Malaria burden has reduced from thirty five percent to eleven point five percent between twenty, twenty two and twenty twenty -six.
The Campaign Manager, Global Health Supply Chain Program, Patience Ochibe who commended the State government for their counterpart fund, disclosed that the US government spent six billion naira for procurement of the one point eight million Insecticide-Treated Nets.
Patience Ochibe noted that personnel from the State and local governments level have been trained on households Mobilization for effective distribution of the free mosquitoes nets from sixth to twelfth December.
She called on beneficiaries of the twenty, twenty-two nets to return the old ones for recycling or proper disposal.
RN
