The National Malaria Elimination programme in collaboration with the Ebonyi State Ministry of Health has announced its readiness to begin the process of distributing free 1.729 million mosquito nets across the State.
The announcement was part of the outcome of the 2019 Long Lasting Insecticidal Net Distribution campaign Media Parley held on Monday at the Ministry’s headquarters, Centenary City, Abakaliki.
The Programme, which is co-sponsored by the United States Presidential Malaria Initiative under the United States Agency for International Development, is an intervention programme against malaria scourge and its associated mortalities, especially in the tropics.
Addressing journalists at the event, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezurike, noted that the campaign was the second witnessed by the present administration in the State.
Umezurike commended Governor David Umahi for creating the enabling environment for partnership programmes to thrive in the State.
He observed that malaria has remained a great health challenge in Nigeria, affecting five million to seven million people annually, and responsible for between 300 to 500 deaths, especially among pregnant women and under five children.
He commended the partners for their humanitarian concerns and called on all Ebonyians to avail themselves of the opportunity to eliminate malaria in their families.
According to the commissioner, the result of etymological survey carried out by the manufacturers has been utilized to further improve the current nets with piperonyl butoxide, which makes it more effective, washable and longer lasting.
Umezurike explained: “We are here to talk about the net distribution campaign in Ebonyi State, which is the second that this administration is witnessing.
“Malaria has remained a disease of public health importance, affecting five to seven million people annually and kills between 300 and 500 people, with majority of deaths occurring in pregnant women and under five children.
“Seventy per cent of deaths from malaria is mainly from the tropics, especially the West African sub region, and Nigeria in particular.”
The Leader of the National Campaign Team, Godwin Aiedenagbon, who released the process for the distribution, explained that the objective of the distribution was to ensure that for every two persons in Ebonyi State, there is one bed net to sleep under.
He outlined that 765 distribution points have been created across the 13 local government areas of the State, while household registrations would holds from October 19 to 27.
Actual distribution would commence on November 9 and end on November 13, 2019, and each household would get a maximum of four LLIN.
In his opening remark, the Director of Public Health in the Ministry, Dr. Mike Urom, noted that apart from malaria prevention, the campaign also helps to reduce the prevalence of yellow fever while boosting the save one million lives campaign of government.
Urom noted: “… the National Malaria Strategic plan aims to achieve risk elimination status by 2020, and this Long lasting Insecticidal treated net is seen as a key strategy towards achieving that.
“And for us in Ebonyi State, not only does the mass campaign help us eliminate malaria, it helps us to boost our indicators for the Save One Million Lives campaign as well as in the control of yellow fever.”
Others who spoke at the event, including the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Health, Dr. Chris Achi; Programme Officer, National Malaria Elimination programme, Bala Muhammad; Programme Manager, Ebonyi State Malaria Elimination programme, Lawrence Nwankwo, among others, harped on the need for the media, all and sundry to support the campaign to achieve the desired results in the State.
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