Akwa Ibom State has recorded a reduction in the prevalence of malaria, a life-threatening disease transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes as it launches Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) mass distribution campaign
According to the recent National Demographic Health Survey, the prevalence of malaria in children under the age of 5 in Akwa Ibom state is 23.3 percent as against 27 percent that was recorded in 2015.
This is coming as the state is set to begin another round of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) mass distribution campaign for all households in the state with over 3.7 million ITN to be distributed across the state.
Eno Attah, Executive Secretary of the state Primary Healthcare Development Agency who spoke in Uyo, the state capital at a media parley on the net distribution campaign expressed delight over the development, attributed the reduction in malaria prevalence to sleeping inside an ITN, saying that the ITN mass distribution campaign is one of the major strategies to deliver nets to the entire population.
Attah, who represented Governor Udom Emmanuel stated that with the support of partners including USAID Breakthrough Action, President’s Malaria Initiative for states among others and in collaboration with the national malaria elimination programme and Against Malaria Foundation (AMF), about 3.7 million ITNs would be distributed to every household in the state.
According to experts, sleeping inside an ITN is one of the best ways to prevent malaria, as they form a physical and chemical barrier against mosquitoes, with studies showing that the use of ITNs reduced malaria incidence by 50 percent.
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In his remarks, the manager, Malaria Elimination Programme in Akwa Ibom state, John Orok, medical doctor said new types of nets would be distributed after household mobilisation exercise after persons wearing uniforms with malaria logo would visit different homes to register all households using the digital technology called ICT4D explaining that
net cards would be issued which he said would entitle each household for a free net.
In his presentation, Farouk Mohammed, an official of the national malaria elimination programme in explaining the proper use of the nets, said they “should be aired under a shade for 24 hours, it could be in a balcony or tree shade, adding the nets should never be used as a blanket but should be hanged over the sleeping space.”
He said the nets provide “a three-year free cover once someone consistently sleeps inside the net than treating malaria every month for three years.”
Speaking, the coordinator of USAID Breakthrough Action in Akwa Ibom state, Bassey Nsa expressed delight over the commencement of the mass distribution campaign saying it would fulfil one of the goals of its programmes in the state.
According to him, by the success in the distribution of the over 3.7 million nets, it would further reduce the burden of malaria in the state and urged the media partners to see the exercise as an opportunity to save lives in the coverage of the exercise and in the proper use of nets to prevent malaria.
The distribution of the free nets will commence from 17th to 21th December 2022.
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