New Telegraph

COVID-19: FG to continue with distribution of mosquito nets

Amidst the increasing cases of COVID-19 cases in the country, the Federal Government has expressed readiness to continue with the Malaria rollout campaigns, which targets distribution of 17 million mosquito nets across seven states. Deputy Director/ Head, Integrated Vector Management of the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), Philip Okoko, who made this known at the 2020 bi-annual media chat in Abuja, listed the states covered in this year’s campaign as Adamawa, Osun, Kwara, Oyo, Benue, Plateau and Zamfara states.

While explaining that the net distributions were concluded in Plateau State in February before the emergence of COVID- 19 in the country, he added that the campaign was likely to be carried out in Oyo state in 2021, due to some technical issues In his words: “The total number of nets planned for distribution this year is between 16 to 17 million.

It’s a universal coverage; it is irrespective of social status, class or location. One net goes to two persons. “Oyo may not happen this year due to some logistics; it may shift to 2021 but everything is in place to ensure that it happens. Plateau happened earlier in the year, although it was initially planned for 2019.” Okoko however noted that the inability of some states to hold the Malaria campaigns due to lack of support from development partners, was a major drawback in the country’s malaria indicators. “Some of these states have suffered de-lays; there are states that have not had campaigns in a very long time because no partner is supporting the distribution of nets in those states. “Borno for instance has not had campaign since 2011; similarly, Abia, Enugu, Bayelsa, Anambra and Rivers states are not receiving support.

These are the things bringing our malaria indicators back because they are not receiving support, but the state governments are doing some things such as the saving one million lives that is ongoing for the provision of nets for pregnant women and infants under the age of one. “Those are already going on at some levels but we can go beyond everything coming from the center; the states can do their own bit to improve access to those preventive measures at these levels.”

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