Malaria: FG to replace old mosquito nets with new ones – Action Plan

By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan.
Leader of the Malaria Action Plan team Mr Godwin Aidenagbon on has hinted that the Federal Government is to replace all the mosquito nets distributed across Nigeria in 2013 with new ones to reduce malaria in the country.
Mr Aidenagbon dropped this hint in Ibadan when he led other members of the team of the Malaria Action Plan Team on a courtesy visit to Wife of the Oyo State Governor, Chief  Mrs. Florence Ajimobi .
The Malaria Action Plan team leader declared that this became necessary in view of the fact that all the mosquito nets distributed in 2013 will no longer be effective in keeping mosquitoes away from the family very soon.
Mr Mr Aidenagbon disclosed that already, Nigeria is set to for partnership with the USAID towards the replacement of the nets to the vulnerable states across the country.
Specifically, the team leader declared that no fewer than 4.3 million nets will be distributed in Oyo state alone whenever the exercise is to take place.
He however solicited the support of Mrs Ajimobi for the campaign, awareness programme as well as mobilisation of people to come out and collect the treated Nets as well as to advocate and openly endorse the Nets as effective tools to eradicate malaria.
Receiving the team,Chief Mrs. Ajimobi emphasized the urgent need towards ensuring reduction in malaria scourge in and across Nigeria,adding that  malaria does not only kill pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants and children but could also transform into other forms of ill-health such as blindness, paralysis, convulsion amongst others.
The governor’s wife stressed that as part of her readiness to support and collaborate with the team in the distribution of mosquito treated nets to the people of Oyo state, wives of Local government caretaker chairmen across the state are to be co-opted to join the team in their various jurisdictions.
Emphasizing  her commitment to the eradication of malaria in the state, Mrs Ajimobi  said during the campaign to distribute the insecticide treated nets in all the nooks and cranny of Ibadan across as well as all the local government areas in the state she ensured that each family had at least two treated mosquito nets.
“After my investiture as Net Ambassador in the state in 2013, I ensured that each family in the state collected two treated mosquito nets. A malaria infested society or person cannot produce at an optimum level. Therefore, the higher the malaria prevalence, the lower the productivity of an individual or a society. And, this is not good for our society.”