Malaria Control: 3.6M Mosquito-Treated Nets for Osun Residents 2023

According to new information, 3.68 million insecticide-treated mosquito netting will be distributed to households in Osun State between July 6 and July 17, 2023.

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

Oroge disclosed that the nets would be disseminated at no cost to every household in the state, while also urging their efficient and effective application.

Dr. Oroge also disclosed that over 200 million insecticide-treated bed nets have been distributed since the start of the malaria elimination program many years ago, and that the longevity of the insecticide-treated bed nets ranges from one to four years.

3.6M Mosquito Nets for Osun Residents

Chibitutu Margaret, a representative of the National Malaria Elimination Program, informed journalists of the collaboration between stakeholders including the government, catholic relief services, society for family health, and the federal ministry of health, among others.

She noted that the organization has strategized the malaria campaign with micro planning, macro planning, implementation, and post-implementation to ensure the effective distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) to households in local governments throughout the state.

In his lecture, the Demand Creation Work stream Advisor for Society for Family Health, Daniel Gbue, argued that preventing malaria with insecticide-treated nets is less expensive than treating malaria after infection.

Daniel stated that the malaria situation in Nigeria requires attention because the disease kills more people than any other disease, that over 31 million people are estimated to be affected annually in the country, that there are 110 million cases annually, of which 30 percent are children and 11 percent are maternal deaths due to malaria, and that over 31 million people are estimated to be infected annually.

Listing also the social and economic burden, he reiterated that the ITNs, once collected, should be exposed under shade for only 24 hours before being hung in the sleeping area for use. He also stated that the ITNs can be washed four to five times a year, with a maximum of 20 cleanses over the course of three years.