By Yunusa Isa, Gombe

The Gombe State Malaria Elimination Program is set to distribute 2.144 million insecticide-treated nets and seasonal malaria chemoprevention drugs in its 2024 malaria elimination campaign.

This was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Abdulrahman Shuaibu, during a one-day media orientation.

Represented by the Director of Disease Control at the agency, Dr. Mustapha Musa Abdullahi, the executive secretary emphasized the critical role of media towards the success of the campaign.

“We understand your critical role in awareness creation, as this campaign can never be successful without your invaluable contribution. We therefore appeal for your usual support and cooperation for behavioral change and demand creation, by sensitizing the public on the importance of sleeping under the treated mosquito nets in our efforts to attaining a malaria-free nation.”

He added that it’s only through the media that the public will get to know about the campaign.

Also speaking, the State’s Health Educator, Sallau Malami, represented by Ubayo Ali, Program Manager of the State Malaria Elimination Program, said the program will engage over 10,000 ad hoc staff for the five-day campaign from July 24th to 28th, 2024.

Speaking on the overview of the program, Bala Muhammad Masu from the Federal Ministry of Health, said Nigeria forms 25% of the world’s malaria cases with an average of nine deaths per hour.

He said, “Malaria has major consequences on vulnerable populations like children below five years of age, pregnant women, and the elderly, resulting in anemia, organ failure, and even death.”

Bala added that with the use of malaria drugs, especially for children, and sleeping under treated mosquito nets, malaria cases can be greatly minimized, improve health and cutting costs on treatment.

Also speaking, the representative of the national coordinator, National Malaria Elimination Programme, Titilope Ola-Akinlalu, noted that the distribution of the free malaria-treated nets will be done house-to-house, appealing to people of the state to collect only what they need.

“We want you to mobilize people to collect only the number of nets they can use. They should avoid double collection so that many people in need can be reached.”

Mrs. Titilope demonstrated how best to use and maintain the treated mosquito nets, while leading the participants through a question and answer session.