Global Fund Partners Catholic Services In Taraba For Campaign Against Malaria

BY AMEH IDAJAGI, JALINGO – A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Global Fund, through the Catholic Relief Services is collaborating with the Taraba State Ministry of Health to distribute over two million treated mosquito nets across the State to tackle malaria.

The Mosquito net Campaign manager of the Catholic Relief Services – Nigeria, Mrs Orizi Nicholas, announced this at a media orientation for journalists in Jalingo preparatory to the kickoff for the distribution.

Nicholas said the distribution would be done in 758 centres across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state for easy access by households.

She noted that through the previous interventions, malaria prevalence rate dropped from 42 per cent in 2010 to 27 per cent in 2015.

She explained that the chain of activities which would last for 59 days would ensure the training of supervisors who would step down the training at the local level where net cards would be issued to beneficiaries.

She emphasised that ‘one net card was equal to one net’ and ‘No net card means No Net’ for intending beneficiary.

In his presentation, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Okpoko, the Demand Creation Consultant for the CRS stated that malaria though a leading public health problem, was being under reported in the media across the country.

Okpoko therefore implored the media to create awareness to support public sensitization for the free net distribution and sustenance of the net use culture among residents.

He added that the CRS target was for every community member to be aware of the net distribution and every household to receive and sleep inside for a malaria free Taraba, saying the net would last for three years.

Okpoko explained that the campaign which is being led by the Taraba Ministry of Heath with technical assistance from the Catholic Relief Services and the National Malaria Elimination programme would commence registration of beneficiaries from June 29, to July 5 while distribution commences July 19 to July 23.

“Registration and issuance of net card will commence June 29 and end July 5, 2019 and only those with cards can access nets from July 19 to 23,” he said.

Earlier, the representative of the National Malaria Elimination programme in the Federal Ministry of Heath, Mr Omo-Eboh Mamudu, urged Media practitioners to help give the right message about the malaria campaign to the public.

According to him, mosquito remains the greatest enemy to mankind and most be tackled head on.

On his part, Mr Jonah Jatau of the Taraba  Ministry of Heath, said the success of the campaign depended on the quality of information the media would give to the public.