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No fewer than 2.2 million Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) would be distributed in Kogi in the replacement campaign to eliminate malaria in the state.
Mr Godwin Aidemagbon, Team Lead, National Campaign Immunisation Team/Presidential Malaria Initiative, disclosed this at the inauguration ceremony of LLIN Coordinating Campaign Network (LCCN) on Tuesday in Lokoja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that long lasting insecticidal nets were provided by the USAID in collaboration with the Presidential Malaria Initiative, Ministry of Health and Kogi State Government.
“We are here for the distribution of 2.2 million long lasting insecticidal nets to the people of Kogi State and I am glad to inform you that all the nets are already on ground in Lokoja”.
He said the campaign process involved three stages which are Macro planning, Micro Planning and Implementation, adding:
“We have finished both macro and micro planning and we are commencing the implementation which is the third and final stage of the campaign.
“We shall commence a household mobilization with the issuance of netcard which would entitle a potential beneficiary to receive a net-‘No Netcard No Net’.
According to him, in 2013, the initiative distributed two nets per household but this time around would be giving a net to every two persons which is termed ‘Universal Coverage’ by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“The State’s Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has agreed to flag-off the distribution of the nets on April 20, the US Ambassador and Mission Director of USAID will be in attendance at the occasion,” Aidemagbon said.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Audu, said the event would mark another turning point in the efforts to eliminate the malaria scourge from Kogi State and Nigeria at large.
“As you all know, Malaria constitute a huge epidemiology burden to Nigeria, Kogi State is surrounded by rivers making it a breeding site for mosquitoes.
“In the light of the above and in an effort to control the scourge, long lasting insecticidal Net (LLIN) mass campaign was carried out in April 2013, in which nets ownership rose from 4 to 64 per cent as two nets were distributed per household”.
He said this year, the State was due for replacement campaign,and that this would be flagged off on April 20, to help increase net ownership to 100 per cent.
“The long lasting insecticidal Net campaign coordinating Network committee is constituted as the highest body to help check and monitor the replacement campaign coming up in the state,” the commissioner said.
He thanked the Hon Minister for Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, the State Governor, the Presidential Malaria Initiative and other partners in the state for their support and steadfastness in ensuring that the Malaria Elimination activities was successfully carried out in Kogi State.
Credits: Stephen Adeleye | NAN
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