Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Anambra, have cautioned beneficiaries of free Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) in the state, against using them for fishing, or preserving grains, as they are meant to prevent mosquito bites.
Mr Chris Azor, the Chairman, Anambra Civil Society Network (ACSONET) gave the advise when he spoke at a ceremony to commence the distribution of 3.8 million ITNs in the state in Awka.
The programme is being handled by the State Government in partnership with Malaria Consortium across all the 21 Local Government Areas(LGAs) of the state.
Azor said that each household would receive between one and four mosquito nets depending on the size of the family.
Also speaking, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Gibson Nwosu who received the team for distributing the nets in his palace on Saturday in Awka commended the donor and government for facilitating the process.
Nwosu however, enjoined the beneficiaries to make good use of the nets as regular usage of the nets had been proven to be effective in checking mortality and morbidity relating to malaria scourge.
During a recent Media engagement, the stateโs Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, said it was necessary for the people to be well informed about the distribution.
โThis exercise is in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), Malaria Consortium and with support from GiveWell Open Philanthropic Funding.
โThe 2022 Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) mass distribution, which commenced on Aug. 7, is free for every household across the state.
โThe objective of the ITN mass campaign is to ensure that for every 2 persons gets one bed-net to sleep inside and the distribution will be done on door-to-door bases across all the 21 LGAs of the State,โ Obidike said.
According to him, the newly collected nets must be aired under a shade for 24hours before hanging and sleeping inside.
โWhen the nets are dirty, wash them with mild soap and stitch with thread and needle if torn,โ he said.
The Commissioner while appealing to the residents to cooperate with the distributors, urged the media and relevant stakeholders to help in enlightening the public on the importance of the exercise.
Caroline Okoye, Jude Nnazuo and Felix Nwokedi all worked as town announcers in Awka Ward 2 and Achara Ward 1 in Awka South and Awka North LGAs.
According to them, their role was to announce to the residents on the way the nets are to be used and the need for them to adhere to the instructions strictly.
โWe use either megaphone or bell to draw the attention of the residents and announce to them to open their gates and collect the free ITN nets.
โWe equally inform them to regularly sleep inside the nets that it is a proven means of eliminating the mosquitoes attacks which is the cause of malaria,โ Okoye said.
Mrs Bukola Oyetomi and Mrs Nnenaya Uwalaka-Obasi both Coordinators for the campaign in Awka North and Awka South LGAs, said that the exercise was seamless in their areas.
โThe people were excited to have the nets and many of them were very hospitable to our field workers,โ Uwalaka-Obasi said.
Oyetomi praised the conducts of most community leaders in Isuaniocha, Mgbaku, Amanuke, Achara, Ebenebe and Amansea for their cooperation in ensuring that their subjects were orderly while the exercise lasted.(NAN)
