From Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo on June 8, 2022, flagged off the free distribution of insecticide treated nets (ITN) campaign in the state.
The distribution proper commenced on Sunday, August 7, after several weeks of preparations, advocacy visits, and stakeholders’ engagement at different levels.
The mass distribution came after a long time, the last being in 2014. The exercise is being executed through a collaboration of Anambra State Government, National Malaria Elimination Programme, and Malaria Consortium, with support from GiveWell Open Philanthropic Funding.
Daily Sun gathered that over 3.8 million treated nets were for distribution and observed that the process had been ongoing through a door-to-door- approach in communities in the state, in a bid to prevent mosquito bites and eliminate malaria disease.
Our correspondent who monitored the exercise in the communities observed some households airing their new nets under shades, some already hung theirs on their sleeping areas, while others anxiously waited theirs, following the plan by the distributors to visit their homes.
Obinna Onuora from Umuabiama Akwa village in Ifitedunu expressed optimism that his household will experience lesser medical attention for treating malaria, with their constant sleeping inside the net: “I strongly believe my family will have lesser malaria this year because we will be sleeping inside net. I have used this type of net when I lived in the North. It is a very valuable gift because once you are sleeping inside the net, mosquito will not gain access to bite and there will be no malaria to treat.
“I have a family of eight but we were given four. In that four, I made sure that they are installed in all the rooms. “We sleep inside the nets every night and it has been very helpful in preventing mosquito bites.”
Also, Amobi Anaeto, a trader from Ukwulu town, Dunukofia LGA said: “Many people in my area have suffered malaria because we expose ourselves to mosquito bites. My household has experienced different life since the net was given to us.”
Mrs Chidimma Oraekem, a resident of Worriwo in Onitsha South LGA told the reporter that before the ITN distribution, her household endured sleepless night due to disturbances from mosquito.
At Ifite-Ukpo, a nursing mother and mother of five, Felicia Okafor said: “We normally treat mosquito every three months. But with the free nets given to us; my children will now be protected from malaria.”
Elsewhere in Umueze-Anam, and Umuonuoha in Mmiata Anam, Anambra West, Christian Nwako, and Elizabeth said the gift was timely highlighting that mosquito was no more a threat to them because they live in agrarian area.
They commended the donors and the state government for the massive distribution of the nets to those in the rural and hard to reach areas who cannot afford the nets.