Aiyedatiwa to launch distribution of 3.6m insecticide-treated nets in Ondo

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State will on Monday, September 8, flag off the distribution of 3.6 million insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) across the state as part of efforts to combat malaria.

The initiative, a collaboration between the Ondo State Ministry of Health, the National Malaria Elimination Programme, and Malaria Consortium, will run until September 17.

Speaking during a media orientation in Akure, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka, said malaria prevalence in the state currently stands at 27 percent, underscoring the importance of the campaign.

He explained that all households in the state would receive the nets, with trained personnel in malaria-branded uniforms visiting homes to register beneficiaries and distribute the items.

“Sleeping inside an ITN is one of the most effective ways to prevent malaria. Studies show that ITN use reduces malaria incidence by 50 percent in sub-Saharan Africa, which bears more than 90 percent of global cases,” Ajaka said.

He advised recipients to air the new nets for 24 hours in the shade before hanging them, and to use them properly every night throughout the year.

Ajaka also disclosed that the government would intensify the fight against fake drugs, with health officials visiting pharmacies and patent medicine shops equipped with scanning machines to verify drug authenticity.

Earlier, the State Malaria Programme Officer, Dr. Waheed Afolayan, emphasized that malaria remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria. He noted that the country accounts for 25 percent of global cases and 30 percent of malaria-related deaths, with children under five and pregnant women most affected.

He added that about 60 percent of patients in health facilities are treated for malaria, which contributes significantly to the nation’s poverty indices.

“Government at all levels, alongside households, spends billions of naira annually on prevention and treatment. Malaria must be tackled squarely if we are to reduce the burden on families and the economy,” Afolayan stressed.

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