By Chukwudi Nwauba :
Anambra State Ministry of Health has received debriefings from Malaria Consortium free Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) distribution campaign across the state.
Anambra State Government through the support of GiveWell open Philanthropic Funding, National Malaria Elimination Programme and Malaria Consortium, the implementing partners distributed insecticide-treated nets as a way to protect residents from mosquito bites that transmit malaria.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike thanked all the partners who saw to the success of the exercise with special commendation to the Malaria Consortium for adopting digital technology in the distribution of the free ITN.
“It is in line with the Gov. Charles Soludo administration’s vision of adopting technology in all public business to actualize as well as increase service delivery.’’
Dr. Obidike appeals to the public to ensure that they continue to sleep inside the nets as it is proven to be a protection from mosquito bites.
“The ITN kill mosquitoes reduce the incidence of malaria and the cost spent in treating the disease.’’
The Commissioner said this during the debriefing meeting with the malaria partners at the Ministry’s Conference Hall, Jerome Udoji Secretariat, Awka.
He assured Ndi Anambra that the State government is committed to providing them with an affordable and efficient healthcare system.
These were part of statistics presented by the campaign manager of the project, Mrs Olaitan Adeniyi while debriefing the State government through the Commissioner for Health.
“No fewer than 7.4million persons benefited from the free insecticide-treated nets distributed to households in Anambra.
“Three million, eight hundred and fifty thousand, three hundred and sixteen insecticide-treated nets were distributed to residents of the state from August 7 to 21, 2022.
“Insecticide treated nets have been proven by research as an effective way of preventing and rolling back malaria.
According to Mrs Adeniyi, the seven million, four hundred and thirty-five thousand, four hundred and seventy-six persons are from one million, two hundred and forty-five thousand, five hundred and forty-eight households that benefited from the exercise.
Mrs Adeniyi said that survey was conducted immediately after the distribution exercise, Anambra has moved from thirty-seven percent insecticide-treated nets usage rate to fifty-three percent a mere few points away from the national target of fifty-seven percent
She expressed hope that with increased messaging across the media and through community stakeholders, the state will be on her journey to not only meet the national target but to surpass it as well.
The ITN Distribution campaign manager acknowledged complaints from residents of the state who were willing to receive the nets but could not, and explained that the challenge was caused by a shortfall in the statistics provided on the population of some parts of the state which made the number of nets planned for such places to be underestimated.
The debriefing exercise was attended by a state government team including the Programme Manager, State Malaria Elimination Programme, Mr. Nonso Ndibe, representatives of the Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and the team from Malaria Consortium.
