Plateau To Share 2.9m Mosquito Nets To Citizens

At least 2.9 million insecticide-treated nets are to be distributed to the citizens across the 17 Local Government Areas of Plateau State as part of efforts to prevent malaria in the state.

The Senior Programme Officer, Breakthrough Action Nigeria, Dr Olusola Adeoye, announced this in Jos on Monday when she led members of her team on a mass distribution campaign to the office of the Plateau state Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Jos

She said the distribution became imperative owing to the high rate of malaria infections caused by mosquitoes in the state

The programme officer said, “We’re here because of malaria, malaria still remains a big challenge in the state. As of the last survey that was conducted in Nigeria, the prevalence of malaria in Plateau State was 19%, which means one out of every 5 cases is malaria.

“To address this issue, the World Health Organisation has shown without considerable doubt that when you use and sleep under insecticide-treated mosquito nets consistently every night all year round, you will not get malaria. Because of that, we have come through the sponsorship of our donors, the United States Government Resident Malaria Initiative supported by the UK-funded Against Malaria Foundation, to come and distribute nets and we’re going to be ensuring that every household in Plateau State gets at least one net. At least the total number of nets that will be distributed to the citizens is 2.9 million.”

The state Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, who acknowledged that malaria is a major public health challenge in the state, however, said that the government was determined to resolve them in the interest of the citizens

“We know that malaria is a major public health issue as long as Nigeria is concerned, as it has taken a lot of lives. It has cut short a lot of dreams and when you have a solution to such a menace, we should be the ones looking for you for collaboration, and we’re happy that you have come, and it’s because the time is now.

“Our government is determined to resolve a lot of issues and malaria is one of them, so for Plateau State, the time is now to say no to malaria, and one of the main reasons for fighting this menace is by getting treated nets and as a Ministry our sole responsibility is to inform plateau people adequately, and we have the wherewithal to do that.

“For the generation coming on board with us, we need to secure them and even for those of us that are ageing we need to sleep under treated nets. So this campaign is a good one, plateau state welcomes it, and the governor and the leader of the time is now in administration His Excellency Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang welcomes this idea wholeheartedly, we are going to give you the necessary support to ensure that the projects succeed,” the Commissioner assured.