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From Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
The just-concluded insecticide- treated nets campaign and distribution exercise in Osun State embarked upon by the
Osun State Government and Society for Family Health (SFH) has recorded a 100.1 percent success.
This was disclosed by the Campaign Manager of Society for Family Health Mrs Mopelola Raji, in Osogbo, the state capital, during the post campaign and distribution debriefing event.
The campaign and net distribution which lasted for about three months was aimed at prevention and elimination of malaria in the state.
The nets were distributed to the beneficiary households free of charge with a view to ensuring adequate malaria control and prevention.
The nets were provided by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Global Fund and the Catholic Relief Services Society for Family Health (SFH).
The distribution of the insecticide-impregnated nets is a part of State Malaria Elimination Programme (SMEP) to ensure control and prevention of malaria-related deaths, especially among children and pregnant women.
Mrs Raji who gave the statistics of the distribution while marking a presentation during the debriefing on the details of the campaigns, distribution and all the processes leading to the success of the programme, disclosed that the total number of households mobilised was 1,282,261, number of beneficiaries in households mobilised was 5,987,891, number of ITNs available for distribution was 3,086,750, the number of the nets distributed was 3,087,116, while the number of nets remaining at the state house was 87.
She expressed delight that the 100.1 percent success recorded was a function of the commitment of the state government and the SFH as well as the staff, stakeholders and personnel involved in both the campaign and distribution processes.
She also commended the state government for its support and provision of an enabling environment to carry out the exercise that lasted for about 74 days.
The campaign manager, however, lamented that an insignificant number of households missed the nets because they were not at home when they (the nets) were brought to their doorsteps.
She, called on the state government to embark on a post distribution campaign with the assurance that those that missed the nets could still access them at child welfare clinics as well as government hospitals during antenatal visits.
While speaking on the SFH’s expectations from the state government on the campaign, she urged it to devise fresh distribution channels and strategies for further distribution with a view to ensuring that no household is left out.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Isamotu, who gave a feedback from government, lauded the SFH’s proactive measures in ensuring the success of the programme.
“Your presence in the state in the last three months to fight malaria has really helped us and is highly commendable. The fight against malaria is not a one man or one group effort. It’s supposed to be a fight by all of us and that is exactly the commitment that the Society for Family Health has demonstrated,” Isamotu said.
He added that government alone could not do it and called for more partners to join in the fight just as the SFH has done.
The commissioner promised more government’s support in the malaria battle through continued campaign to ensure maximal use of the nets distributed to achieve the purpose instead of using it for fishing for which some people had erroneously subjected it to in the past.
Raji, however, pointed out some challenges that were faced during the campaign and distribution exercise.
According to her, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the micro planning time line, resulting in virtual support from the national team. It also affected the schedule of ITNs delivery to the state.
Another challenge was that the #endSARS protests led to two curfews which also affected campaign and distribution activities.
Delayed arrival of the outstanding 500,000 ITNs, leading to the postponement of the campaign and two waves of household mobilisation and ITNs distribution was also one of the challenges.
Also, most town announcers were not resident in their assigned LGAs, thereby making it difficult to do announcement early in the morning and late in the evening.
Another challenge was political interferences in selection of personnel which hampered training and orientation across all LGAs.
Delayed submission of campaign personnel list also led to disruption of training activities in some LGAs.
Also, many ward level personnel were not residents of their assigned LGAs, thereby making it difficult to effect announcement of the daily work.
She called on the state government to address the challenges in subsequent programmes to ensure further successes.
