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....Over 3 Million Insecticide Treated Nets will be distributed across 20 LGA's
..... Recovering of old/damage/spoilt nets in six local governments namely (Odeda, Ado-Odo/Ota, Ifo, Ewekoro, Sagamu, Obafemi Owode)
Solanke Ayomideji Taiwo, Abeokuta
Malaria is a major public health concern in Nigeria, with an estimated 68 million cases and 194 000 deaths due to the disease in 2021. Nigeria has the highest burden of malaria globally, accounting for nearly 27% of the global malaria burden. The risk of transmission exists throughout the country, all year round.
The Ogun State Government, in partnership with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Society for Family Health (SFH), and other key stakeholders, has commenced the process of the 2024 Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs) mass campaign.
This initiative, funded by the Global Fund Malaria Project, aims to combat malaria, a life-threatening disease transmitted by mosquitoes that continues to pose a significant health risk in Ogun State and across Nigeria.
The mass campaign was led by the Ogun State Ministry of Health and Ogun state Primary Health Care Development Agency (OSPHCDA) with the technical support of Society for Family Health, pother Partners, and National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) providing coordination and oversight.
According to the representative of National Malaria Elimination Programme, a total number of 3.1 million ITs will be distributed to the people of Ogun State through a double phase approach, The ITN mass campaign will be implemented across the state with some settlements that will not be targeted, The six local government areas highlighted here, (Odeda, Ado-Odo/Ota, Ifo, Ewekoro, Sagamu, Obafemi Owode) are those that a strategy called EOLIN will be deployed for the removal of Old, Damaged and unserviceable nets from the communities.
ITN distribution will therefore focus on people who are living in rural areas where the risk of malaria is higher. Children under 5 and pregnant women from deprioritized communities who are more Susceptible to malaria can go to health facilities near them to get nets during ANC and immunization programs.
The objective of the IT mass campaign is to ensure that for every 2 persons, there is one bed net to sleep inside, The IN Campaign will be done in a double phase approach involving Household Mobilization/registration of all households across all the 20 LGAs of the State and a fixed-point Net distribution.
Household Mobilization/registration will commence from the 31stOctober - 6th November 2024. Households must ensure that they leave somebody at home within this period to provide information to the household mobilizers.
The household mobilizers will generate a token or net card for every mobilized household which will be used to redeem the nets at the distribution points.
Net Distribution according to the anchor of the program will commence from the 19th of November - 23rd November 2024, The Beneficiaries from the following local government areas (Odeda, Ado-Odo/Ota, Ifo, Ewekoro, Sagamu, Obafemi Owode) are encouraged to come along with their old/damaged nets to the distribution points.
The newly collected nets are expected to be aired under a SHADE for 24hrs before hanging and sleeping inside. Bring down the old nets and hang the new ones, while the citizens of Ogun state are encouraged to use Insecticide Treated Nets to further reduced the numbers of people who died yearly of malaria nationwide.
The 2024 ITN mass campaign is a concerted effort by the Ogun State Government, NMEP, CRS, SFH, and other collaborators to prevent malaria by providing critical resources—ITNs—to high-risk populations. Through a double-phase approach of household mobilization and targeted distribution, the campaign is set to reduce the prevalence of malaria in Ogun State and contribute to the broader goal of malaria elimination in Nigeria. The introduction of the EOLIN initiative also demonstrates a commitment to environmental protection while addressing public health concerns.
The success of the campaign will depend on the active participation of local communities, the effective coordination of the various stakeholders, and the commitment of beneficiaries to use and maintain the ITNs properly. This initiative is a crucial step towards achieving a malaria-free Ogun State and, ultimately, a malaria-free Nigeria.
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