Anambra govt. worries over low usage of mosquito nets
The Anambra Government has expressed concern over the low usage of mosquito nets in the state, despite giving out 3.8 million Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) free to the residents.
Dr Afam Obidike, the state Commissioner for Health said that the government was not happy with the development.
The commissioner made the remarks during debriefing and submission of final report on the exercise to the state government by Malaria Consortium on Tuesday in Awka.
Malaria Consortium, an International Non-governmental Organisation, distributed more than 3.8 million ITNs across the 21 Local Government Areas of the state, to tackle malaria scourge.
The distribution was done in partnership with the state government and National Malaria Elimination Programme, with funding from Givewell Open Philanthropic Foundation.
Obidike said, “Keeping the nets without sleeping inside them defeats the aim.
“As a government, we are not happy with the low percentage of people who after collecting the nets had yet to commence sleeping inside them.
“The life span of the nets are between three and four years and it is in your interest you start using them now.”
He said that using the nets would reduce death of infants, pregnant mothers and people with weak immunity, as well as loss of man hour due to malaria and related diseases.
The commissioner appreciated the meticulous handling of the ITN distribution, including the use of technology during the exercise by Malaria Consortium.
“My governor is glued to usage of technology in governance and he wants the state to know more about the technological devices used by your organisation in the distribution of the nets in Anambra,” Obidike said.
Mrs Laitan Adeniyi, Campaign Manager, Malaria Consortium in Anambra, said 3. 85 million ITNs were distributed to 7.43 million residents of the state on a door-to-door basis.
She said that 8,503 personnel were engaged and trained across the 21 Local Government Areas of the state for the ITN distribution.
Adeniyi added that the consortium engaged another 84 personnel to ascertain if the beneficiaries were actually using the nets.
Mrs Uju Onwuegbuzina, State Health Educator, urged the people to embrace regular use of ITNs to eliminate the scourge of malaria.(NAN)
