Bauchi govt distributes treated mosquito nets, treats under-5 children against malaria

A total of 4.4m mosquito-treated nets worth not less than N7b are to be distributed to households in Bauchi State in its resolve to tackle issues of malaria caused by mosquito bites.

The distribution was officially flagged on Monday by the State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir at the Multipurpose Indoor Sportshall, Bauchi.

The governor said that “Malaria, as we all know, is a very serious threat to life caused by the plasmodium parasite transmitted person to person via the infected female anopheles mosquitoes. In 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey revealed that malaria is a major cause of maternal and child death in Nigeria.

“A preventable and curable disease is still strange to our health system and hinders socioeconomic progress, reducing our gross domestic product by 40 per cent annually and imposing an approximate expenditure of approximately N480 billion in our households.

“This disease is a constant menace to our people’s health and prosperity. In our dedicated efforts to reduce the burden of malaria, the government of Bauchi State has joined hands with the Federal Ministry of Health through the National Malaria Elimination Programme, Against Malaria Foundation (USAID/PMI) and other rollback malaria programmes.

“Our mission, supported by funding from our partners, is to increase access to insecticide-treated nets and children under-5 years of chemoprevention.

“These nets are durable and cost-effective as well as improving means to prevent malaria. However, their distribution is not enough. Consistent and correct use of these nets all year round is a key to shielding our people from the disease.

“Equally, the seasonal malaria chemoprevention protects our under-5-year-old children from malaria all year round. Today, we raise the flag to this campaign signifying the commencement of distributing 4.4 million nets at the total cost of N7 billion, across the 323 wards in the state and the administration of malaria prevention drugs for 2.2 million under 5-year-old children in the state.

“These were made possible by the enduring support of the Against Malaria Foundation, the United States President Malaria Initiative and The Malaria Consortium. We are very, very grateful.”

In her remarks, USAID Mission Director in Nigeria, Anne Patterson said that the implementation partners, the global supply chain, procurement supply management and breakthrough action Nigeria in collaboration with the Against Malaria Foundation and the Society for Family Health teamed up for the programme.

Represented by Kola Sheniyi, the USAID Mission Director said, “This is the fourth campaign in Bauchi State: we had one in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2023. The difference between the different campaigns is that this is the first digital mass campaign in Bauchi State.

“For this campaign, USAID, PMI and The Against Malaria Foundation have donated a total of 4.4 million nets required to reach over eight million people in the state.

“The Against Malaria Foundation donated 3.3 million of these nets while USAID/PMI donated 1.1 million. All these to a total cost of $10 million or N5 billion. We’ve also spent an implementation cost of about $ 1.8 million or N806 million.

“We acknowledge the support from the Bauchi State Government through the Bauchi State Agency for the Control of Aids, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria for the provision of over 22,000 personnel to support the campaign and also for the counterpart funding from the state government.

“A lot of work has gone through the weeks and months for the success of this campaign. It started off with the planning and training at both state, local government and ward levels and finally, last week, we concluded the household mobilization activity.

“What we have left is very important and that is why we are here, for the flag off for the ITN Distribution. The distribution will take place for a total of seven days with two days of mop up, if necessary, and it commences on June 30th to July, 6th 2023. The total number of Distribution Centers where beneficiaries would go to redeem their nets is 1,554.”

Also speaking, Kabiru Mohammed Algamawai said that Malaria Consortium came into Bauchi State in 2010 and supported 10 local government areas of the State with antimalarial drugs whereby “we distributed and reached more than 75,220 beneficiaries in Bauchi State.”

According to him, “In 2021, Malaria Consortium scaled up its intervention to cover all the 20 local government areas of Bauchi State and we worked in all tue323 wards where we reached about 1.8 eligible children, those from 3-59 months.”

He added that “In 2022, we also supported Bauchi State with antimalarial drugs whereby we reached more than two million beneficiaries of our intervention.

“In the present year 2023, we targeted to reach 2.2 million eligible children, those between 3-59 months who are the most vulnerable age group for malaria in Nigeria.”

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Aliyu Babayo Gamawa stressed the importance of the treated mosquito nets in the fight against malaria in pregnancy as well as children under 5 years.

The Permanent Secretary added that his Ministry in collaboration with BACATMA and other donor agencies and partners are doing everything administratively possible to ensure that the nets not only got to the target audience but were put to effective use.

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