Malaria Control: Bauchi Government Distributes 4.4 Million Mosquito Nets

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Bauchi State Government is to deploy over 27,000 ad hoc staff for the distribution of 4.4 million Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets across the state.

Similarly, the state government has procured Seasonal Malaria Chemo Prevention (SMC) for administration of over two million under five children in a bid to preventing them from contracting the disease.

The exercise was a collaboration between the state government and development partners including the United State President’s Malaria Initiative, the National Malaria Elimination Programme, Against Maleria Foundation as well as the Break Through Action Nigeria (BA-N).

Under the arrangement, the Bauchi State Government had earlier paid its counterpart fund to access over N700 billion intervention programme in addition N800 million implementation cost.

The exercise which was expected to commence from 21st to 30th of this month, would be implemented across the 20 Local Government Areas of the State in batches.

At the Flag off of the exercise in Bauchi, Governor Bala Mohammed said his administration was working to increase access to treated mosquito nets so as to reduce the burden of malaria and guarantee the wellbeing of the citizens.

According to the governor, his administration was also determined to complement efforts of the development partners in the fight against malaria through increased budgetary allocation to the health sector, from 13 to 17 per cent.

Speaking on behalf of the donor agencies, Representative the Nigeria Mission Director, USAID, Kola Saniyi, who expressed satisfaction with commitment of the state government, described the effects of malaria on the lives of people as devastating.

He emphasised the need for households to take advantage of the exercise to enhance their health status, adding that the donor agencies were committed to introducing more intervention programmes in the state.