Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
Towards prevention and elimination of malaria in Osun State, the state government and Society for Family Health on Thursday began delivery of insecticide-treated nets to the distribution hubs across all the local government areas in the state from where the nets would later be distributed to the residents.
Daily Sun gathered that the nets would be distributed to every household free of charge with a view to enduring that nobody is left out of the sharing.
The nets which will be distributed to a target population of five million were provided by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Global Fund and the Catholic Relief Services Society for Family Health (SFH).
The distribution of the insecticide-impregnated nets is a part of State Malaria Elimination Programme ( SMEP) to ensure control and prevention of malaria-related deaths, especially among children and pregnant women.
Earlier on Tuesday and Wednesday, distribution mobilisers and participants were trained by a team of special heath officers in batches through internet devices and phones to facilitate campaigns for effective distribution and proper use of the nets by the beneficiaries as well as the importance of the nets to malaria prevention and control.
The health promotion officer of Osogbo Local Government Area, Mrs Lawal Funmilayo explained that the training was also intended to ensure compliance with the COVID-19 precautionary measures during the house to house distribution of the nets.
One of the facilitators, Mrs Mopelola Raji later led the campaign train to the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Oyetunji, to seek his royal blessings
before the distribution of the nets to the people.
The monarch commended the efforts by both Federal and Osun State Governments as well as the Society for Family Health and gave his royal blessings.
He, however, called on government to deploy fumigation which is the trending malaria prevention and control measure in advanced countries to reduce or avoid the net distribution stress.
The ITN logistician officer in Osogbo Local Government, Mrs Adigun Ganiyat said that the net distribution to all the households in the state would take off with immediate effect across the state by the selected mobilizers.
Speaking on how to use the net, Ganiyat stressed that it must be spread under a shade for 24 hours before use.
She added that it must neither be washed nor dried under the sun to avoid wastage of the insecticide with which it had been treated.
“I implore our people to use the net properly for their prevention against malaria fever,” she added.
Earlier during the distribution campaign, Mr Bolarinwa Akeem Ajibola one of the ITN distribution participants in Osogo Local Government
said that only a maximum of two persons could sleep inside the net.
