By Ewomazino Egbo
Delta State Government has scheduled the distribution of 3.7 million insecticide treated nets (ITN), due to commence in 1st March, 2022.
The distribution arrangement, we gathered, is made possible through efforts of the Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency (DSPHCDA) with support from The Global Fund and partners, geared towards the prevention, control and elimination of malaria in the state.
The Chairman of DSPHCDA, Dr Isioma Okobah, stated disclosed this yesterday at the inauguration of the ITN Campaign Coordinating Network (ICCN) Committee
Okobah said that the inaugurated committee was charged with planning and implementing of the mass distribution campaign, coordinating technical, demand creation and logistics as well as monitoring and addressing security issues.
She revealed that the state was expecting about 3.7 million insecticide treated nets for mass distribution to every household in the state, adding that the net was globally recognized as a key strategy for the prevention, control and elimination of malaria.
The agency chairman, while lauding the state government for the prompt approval and release of the state counterpart fund, also commended the Global Fund and her allied partners.
The National Coordinator of National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP), represented by Mrs Mary Esema, gave an overview of the ITN mass campaign, which she noted would begin May 1, 2022 targeting about six million Deltans.
The 2022 ITN replacement mass distribution campaign, she said, had some innovations different from the last campaign of 2019, saying that the use of electronic technology with scanned cards containing bar codes, use of cash and asset transfer, early microplanning amongst other technical aspect, would be deployed for better and efficient distribution.
The committee has members drawn from security and paramilitary operatives in the state, religious and traditional institutions, civil society organizations, community-based organization, inter ministerial and market bodies.
The inauguration witnessed good will messages from the the Delta State House of Assembly Committee of Health, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Environment, Dr Mrs Minnie Oseji; World Health Organization, Catholic Relief Society, Management Sciences for Health, and Chemonics, among others.
