Dutse, 12 December, 2021 - The Jigawa State Government, as part of its malaria prevention/elimination strategies, has begun the distribution of 3.7 million Insecticide Treated Nets to vulnerable households in the state.

The Deputy Governor, Alhaji Umar Namadi, at the inauguration of the 12-day distribution exercise on 17 November 2021, in Madobi village, Dutse Local Government Area (LGA), said that the goal is to encourage everyone to sleep inside the net, especially the malaria vulnerable populations (pregnant women and children under 5 years).

He stressed that the goal is to ensure 100% coverage for net distribution and 80% usage by the vulnerable population.

Maryam Musa, a 26-year-old mother of four children, a beneficiary of the free Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITN) at the venue for the state flag-off the 2021 replacement campaign, expressed her gratitude to the government and partners for the support in protecting her household against the killer disease. 

“I am happy to be among the first recipients of this gesture and wish other mothers would benefit also. We need the nets to protect my children and myself from mosquito bites to prevent malaria,” she said. 

Malaria remains a public health problem in Nigeria. It could be prevented and cured through collaborative efforts such as the use of ITN.
Malaria is a deadly disease responsible for approximately 11% maternal and 30% child mortality, especially among children under five years. 

Intervention

The Permanent Secretary Jigawa State Ministry Health, Dr Salisu Muazu, said that the state government and its partners planned to distribute 3.7 million ITNs across the 288 wards in 27 LGAs during the 2021 replacement campaign.

“The government and our technical partners have worked out the logistics to conduct a hitch-free exercise. We are deploying modern technology to record the distribution,” he said.

In his goodwill message, the WHO State Coordination, Dr Sunday Audu, commended the effort of the Jigawa State government in responding to disease outbreaks and other health emergencies. 

Dr Audu said that “the 2021 World Malaria Report (WMR) has shown that the progress against malaria control has stalled in high burden countries. Since 2000, malaria high burden countries have achieved significant improvement in the fight against the disease using the ITNs as one of the most cost-effective intervention”.

He further encouraged the government to invest in health and pursue Primary Health Care (PHC) revitalization by implementing the PHC under a one-roof strategy to address inequities in access to quality healthcare services.

Other partners supporting Jigawa state and its malaria prevention strategies include the Global Fund, the United State Government through the USAID/PMI, the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID). The implementing partners are Catholic Relief Society (CRS), and Malaria Consortium among others. 

Technical Contacts:
Dr Saleh Jalal-eddeen; Email: salehj [at] who.int; 
Dr Audu Sunday; Email: audusu [at] who.int
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