Malaria: 3 million mosquito nets to be distributed in Ondo state

AS part of effort towards preventing malaria in Ondo state, about three million mosquitos’ nets will be distributed across the communities in the state between October and November this year.

Disclosing this during a sensitisation programme in Akure, Ondo state capital, the Head National Malaria Elimination Programme from Ministry of Health, Nneka Ndubuisi, who disclosed this during a sensitisation programme said the distribution became imperative to prevent children under five years of age and pregnant mothers from malaria parasites.

According to her, the best opportunity for scaling up malaria prevention is the use of Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs), saying the nets are designed to maintain utmost biological efficacy against mosquitoes for three years, particularly where they are used under recommended conditions.

She explained that the distribution of the mosquitoes nets will be preceded by household mobilisation between October 7 and 15, while household mobilisers will visit each household to register them and issue but cards to them.

She said one net would be given to two persons and maximum of four nets to a household saying “during the campaign the LLINs are giving out free on the basis of one net to every two persons in a household. But of the free nets are not adequate to meet the demand of a household, they may need to buy extra nets.

“Pregnant women attending ante natal and children under five years completing immunisation may receive free nets from the government health facilities”

According to Ndubuisi, the nets could be used for three years if properly used saying the nets can be washed more than five times in a year or 15 times in three years.

She allayed the fear of the people over the unpleasant smell from insecticide used in treating the net saying the smell does not affect the health of the people but said the odour will stop after few days.

Speaking on their use of the net, she said “air the LLIN under the shade we’d not under the sun for 24 hours before use. Until you do this, avoid body contact as much as possible.

“Hang the nets up over your sleeping area which could be a mat or bed and tuck in the nets from all sides ensuring that no space could permit entrance of mosquitoes. Repeat this anytime you leave your sleeping area”

“It is still better to tolerate the smell which disappears in few days rather than have malaria as it exerts a huge social and economic burden on our communities and country,  billions of Naira are lost to malaria annually in firm of treatment cost,  prevention and loss of man hours”