By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
Osun Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Isiaka Adekunle, has urged media professionals in the State to sensitize members of the public, through rigorous campaign, to create more awareness on the usage of free insecticide treated nets (ITN) to prevent mosquito bites in Osun.
The Permanent Secretary stated this during the media orientation on insecticide treated net (lTN) campaign held in the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Health, Osogbo.
The Career Head, who was represented by the State Manager, Malaria Elimination Programme, Dr. Femi Oroge stated that the initiative’s aim and objective were to ensure that each family household got the treated net in order to reduce the risk of contacting malaria.
Dr Oroge also stated that thirty percent (30%) of households in the community should systematically use the net to insulate themselves from insect bites, and most importantly malaria.
He then urged the media to sensitize the citizenry on the importance of the usage of the net, adding that sleeping inside treated nets protects one from mosquito, and by extension spread of malaria.
In his remarks, the National Coordinator, Malaria Elimination Program,Dr Richard Owege, who was represented by the National Malaria Elimination Program Officer, Mrs Chibutwu Margaret stated that the media has been of great help and indispensable stakeholders in malaria elimination programs in Nigeria. She therefore urged the media to educate and inform people in every nook and cranny of Osun State to ensure that the people receive and use the nets judiciously. According to her, Osun State has the lowest rate of net usage in the country during year 2020 program.
Addressing the Pressmen, the Media and Communication Specialist Advisor for Society for Family Health , Mr Gbue Denen Daniel stated that preventing oneself adequately from malaria is by using the insecticide treated nets (ITN), which, he noted, is cheaper than getting bitten by mosquito.
Daniel hinted further that the distribution campaign which started on 11th of June 2023, has been engaging in series of documentation activities and training.
Daniel frowned at some citizens who are of the habit of using the nets for farming and goal post for playing football or selling the nets. He then advised the media to spearhead campaign for proper usage of insecticide treated nets,adding that malaria issue needs proper attention.
He also disclosed that 3.6million nets are to be distributed freely and that the strategy is designed in such a way that every two persons in an household will get one net.
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