Ondo gets 2.9 million treated nets to fight malaria

*NMEP, CRS train 30 journalists on advocacy campaigns

Catholic Relief Services (CRS), in collaboration with the state and Federal Ministry of Health, has declared that the prevalence of malaria in the country is not as a result of lack of mosquito nets but the poor usage.

Representative of the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), an organ of the ministry, Mrs Nneka Ndubusi, disclosed this yesterday in Akure at a media advocacy training organized for 30 journalists in the state.

Ndubusi said that media was strong to advocate for prevention of malaria through the Ondo State Net Replacement Campaign for the distribution of Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets ( LLINs) across the 18 LGAs of the state.

According to her, the nets are designed to maintain utmost biological efficacy against mosquitoes for three years if used under recommended conditions
She noted that “Malaria is the most common preventable public health problem in Nigeria yet it takes a lethal toll of 97 per cent of Nigerians especially children under five years of age and pregnant woman.” This lethal incidents, according to her, were caused by poor orientation, ignorance and inappropriate use of the malaria prevention nets.

She lamented that LLIN was under-reported, but said that the training would empower the media to support the essence of the campaign through their media platforms.

Ndubusi added that a total of 2,930,500 nets would be distributed across the state from October 28 to November 2, 2017, while community leaders and mobilized, health workers would also be trained for the purpose.