The Federal Government through the National Malaria Elimination Programme in collaboration with the society for family health, Ogun state government and other malaria partners have Kickstarted the 2024 Insecticide Treated Net(ITN) mass Campaign where 3.1million Insecticide Treated Nets will be distributed to various households free of charge across the 20 local government.
The project Director and Team lead of ITN distribution in Ogun state, John Ocholi stated this during a media parley on the the programme tagged Insecticide Treated Net Universal Coverage Campaign ( double Phase approach ) explained that the program is organised everyday 3years to ensure that malaria is eliminated in Nigeria and to encourage every household to adopt the use of mosquito Nets.
According to Him, the household Mobilisation and registration will commence on 31st October till 6th November,2024 while Distribution of Nets will Commence from 19th to 23rd November 2024.
He urged residents of Ogun state to see the free ITN distribution as part of ways to reduce family expenses adding that the cost of preventing malaria is cheaper than the cost of treating it,
He noted that households with insecticide Treated nets in Ogun state are above 80 percent but the usage is low as people just abandoned it.
Speaking on the strategy adopted for the 2024 edition of ITN distribution, Mr Omoh Ebu noted that every households that were given cards must make themselves available for the collection as no nets will be distributed at work place, office or business areas but strictly for households at their place of residents.
The distribution according to the facilitator Will not be done for all household as people residing at Mosquito prone areas,such as the rural areas, children under 5 five years and pregnant women will be prioritised while some areas with lower risk of malaria as stipulated based on the available data will not be given the free ITN .
They however urged those susceptible to malaria that are residing within the depriotised areas such as pregnant women and households with children under 5 years to visit health facilities during immunisation programmes to get the net.
Campaign manager for Ogun ITN 2024, Temitope talked about the new concept of getting back the expired old ITN from households as it constitutes serious environmental problems when it is being disposed of burn, she said a concept entitled EOLIN(End of Life Net) will be Piloted during the distribution process in some selected local governments in Ogun state, Namely, Odeda, Ado Odo/Ota, Ifo, Ewekoro, SAGAMU, Obafemi Owode.
Households in these six selected local governments are enjoined to come along with their old, damaged nets to the distribution Points.
Households will be registered first while cards will be issued, and then followed by distribution at the designated point.
Mr omoebo Mamudu, while urging those that will be benefiting from the new ITN distribution to make effective use of it and must be aired under a shade for 24hrs before hanging and sleeping inside it.
Earlier in her speech, Dr. Olubukonla Omotosho said the state government had distributed millions of Insecticide Treated Nets across the state and will continue to do more.
The mass Campaign is led by the Ogun state ministry of health and Ogun state primary health care development agency with technical supports from society for family health, national malaria Elimination Programme, Catholic Relief Services, and other malaria partners with funding support from the global fund malaria Project.
