Malaria Control: Osun Residents To Get 3.6M Mosquito Treated Nets

Fresh facts have emerged that 3.68 million mosquitoes treated nets will soon be distributed to households across Osun State in an exercise slated between July 6 and 17, 2023.

Osun State Manager, Malaria Elimination Programme, Dr Olufemi Oroge disclosed this in Osogbo during a 1-day campaign orientation meeting with selected media practitioners organized by Society for Family Health in conjunction with Osun Ministry of Health.

While calling for efficient and effective use of the nets, Oroge disclosed that the nets would be distributed free of charge to every household in the state.

Dr Oroge disclosed further that since the commencement of malaria elimination program years back over 200million nets have been distributed adding that the lifespan of the insecticide nets is between 1-4years.

Also addressing newsmen on the objectives and expectation as a facilitator, National Malaria Elimination Program, NMEP representative Chibitutu Margaret, informed journalists of the collaboration between stakeholders such as the government, catholic relief services, society for family health, federal ministry of health among others.

She noted that the organization has strategized the malaria campaign with the micro planning, macro planning, implementation and post implementation towards ensuring successful distribution of the insecticide nets ITNs to households in local governments across the state.

The Demand Creation Work stream Advisor for Society for Family Health, Daniel Gbue in his lecture, maintained that preventing malaria by using insecticide treated nets ITNs is cheaper than getting malaria treatment after infection.

Daniel said that the malaria situation in Nigeria demands attention as the sickness kills more than other types of sickness, that over 31 million people are estimated to be affected annually in the country, that there are 110 million cases per year out of which 30 percent are children and 11 percent are maternal deaths due to malaria.

Listing also, the social and economic burden, he reiterated that the ITNs once collected should be aired under shade for just 24 hours and then hanged in sleeping area for usage, he also stated that the bet can be washed four to five times in a year with a maximum of 20 washes in three years.