Anambra Government in partnership with Malaria Consortium Group has commenced the distribution of free Malaria Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs) across all the 21 Local Government Areas in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, disclosed this at a the media roundtable on Saturday, saying that the roundtable was very necessary so that Ndi-Anambra will be well informed about the distribution exercise.
“This exercise is in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP)and other supporters.
“The Insecticide-Treated Nets will be distributed to every household with the objective of reducing the scourge of malaria in the state”.
According to him, the 2022 Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) mass distribution, which will commence on August 7 is free for every household across the state.
“The objective of the ITN mass campaign is to ensure that for every 2 persons, there is one bed-net to sleep inside and the distribution will be done on door-to-door bases across all the 21 LGAs of the state.
“So, household registration and simultaneous distribution of net will commence from August 7 to August 17, as from 8:30am to 2pm on daily bases.
“Every household must ensure that they have someone at home within this period to collect their nets”.
According to him, the newly collected nets must be aired under a shade for 24hrs before hanging and sleeping inside, old nets should be replaced with the new ones.
The Commissioner while appealing to the residents in the state to cooperate with those employed for the distribution, urged the media to help in enlightening the public on the need to sleep inside the nets in order to eliminate malaria in the state.
The Director Public Health/Diseases Control, Dr. Afam Anaeme represented the commissioner during the meeting.
In a goodwill message, the representative of the Federal Ministry of Health and the ITN Campaign Manager for Malaria Consortium, Mrs. Laitan Adeniyi, urged the public to desist from using the net for other house purposes.
According to her, the essence of this media orientation is for you to help us in ensuring that people use this net and sleep under it, and not otherwise.
The State Malaria Programme Manager, Mr. Nonso Ndibe, advised the public not to use the net for fishing and vegetable farming.
