FIC REPORT (NASARAWA STATE) – The Nasarawa State Government in collaboration with the Government of the United States and the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), will distribute 1.8 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets to residents across the state.
Dr Gaza Gwamna, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Health who stated this at a media parley in Lafia, said that, the exercise was part of renewed efforts to fight malaria and curtail its burden in the state.
The commissioner explained that malaria is transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes and can be life-threatening to children and pregnant women.
The commissioner further said that the state government has already trained about 9, 000 personnel to be deployed to 147 electoral wards of the 13 Local Government Areas of the state.
Gwamna noted that the trained personnel wearing uniforms with malaria logos would visit households in 13 LGAs from November 15-21: for mapping and registration ahead of the distribution scheduled to commence from December 6-12.
The commissioner further explained that the intervention from the government and other partners over the years had brought down the burden of malaria in the state from 25 per cent in 2018 to 11 per cent currently.
Gwamna said affordable and accessible healthcare services delivery is one of the top priorities of the Gov. Abdullahi Sule-led administration, and reiterated the government’s commitment to reduce the malaria burden to zero per cent in the next five years.
Also speaking, Dr Peter Attah, Director of Public Health said the exercise underscores the commitment of the state government to safeguarding the health and well-being of its citizens.
The Director of Public Health explained that Karu LGA was allocated 300, 000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets, followed by Lafia LGA with 250, 000 because of the high population of people in the two LGAs.
Attah further said that they have deployed technology in the registration and distribution of the nets to ensure that the nets get to the real people who were captured during the mapping and to track diversion.
The Director further appealed to the people to always sleep under the nets which is the most effective way to prevent oneself from malaria.
Speaking on behalf of partners, Patience Ochibe, Campaign Manager, Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM), said the insecticide-treated mosquito nets are valued at over N6 billion apart from operational costs.
Ochibe explained that they are determined to ensure a successful distribution of the nets with a view to reducing the burden of malaria in the state.
She further explained that the partnership which began in 2018, was done again in 2022 and 2026.
She further explained that the trained personnel would visit every household from November 15-21 with POS machines with the application installed on them for registration.
“They will register your household and give you a slip. Please ensure the slip is kept adequately, appropriately, and safely for the collection of the nets scheduled for December 6-12.
Ochibe also called on households to return old nets which have reached the end of their time during the upcoming distribution exercise.
“We intend to find a better way to either recycle them or manage the waste to ensure the chemicals used in them do not contaminate the environment,” she added.
ARI, LIMAN AMINU.
HEAD OF CENTRE,
FIC, LAFIA.
