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The Ogun State Government in partnership with the Society For Family Health with the support of Global Fund Malaria, have begun intense mobilisation of residents across the state for the distribution of 3.1m insecticide-treated nets from November 18.
Speaking with PUNCH Online on the exercise on Monday, the Insecticide Treated Nets Mass Campaign Coordinator for the Ijebu North Local Government, Mr Oladeji Julius, stated that a total of 47,363 out of an estimated 78,279 households have been mobilised for the collection of the insecticide-treated nets in the local government.
Julius said, “The exercise started on October 31 and continued till Wednesday, November 6. For Ijebu North Local Government, we have 752 communities to cover out of which we have reached out to 356.
“And out of the estimated 78,279 households for the net distribution, we have issued new cards to 47,363 households recording about 59% coverage so far.”
He urged the households that have been mobilised to keep their net cards safely and neatly and ensure that it is not roughened or damaged particularly, the area of the net card which contains the
QR code to be scanned.
“We equally urged the households that have been mobilised to follow the dates given to them and go for the collection of these nets at the designated venues when the time comes.
“Before using these nets, they should spread and air them under a shade for 24 hours, and when they are dirty, they should wash them with mild soap not highly concentrated detergent and the nets should not be washed more than two or three times in a year at most”, he added.
Ijebu North East ITN Coordinator, Rapheal Izi, said that about 14,890 out of 24,900 households have been issued the net cards recording 60.20% as of the conclusion of works on Sunday.
Izi said that a total number of 119 communities out of 273 mapped out for the exercise have been covered assuring that the remaining communities would be reached before the exercise closes on Wednesday.
The Coordinator for Ijebu East Local Government, Mr Abiodun Rafiu, said that out of 265 communities earmarked for the exercise, 146 settlements have been touched but 90 fully covered.
Rafiu said that his team have also been able to mobilise over 20000 households out of 39,537 targeted for the net distribution adding that the unstable network service in some very remote communities in the local government has made it difficult to get adequate progress reports from communities in about three wards.
He said that by the time he gets access to the reports of the other three wards, it would be clear that many residents have been covered for the net distribution.
The coordinator, of Ijebu Ode Local Government, Julia Bienose, also said that her team has mobilised 28,100 households from 285 settlements visited out of 500 recording 65 per cent coverage.
Bienose thanked the residents of the local government for their support so far while urging them to follow the instructions given for the collection and usage of the nets.
The Coordinator of Ogun Waterside, John Shaibu, said that from the estimated 26171 households in the local government, 15835 households have been mobilised while the balance of 10, 336 will be reached before the exercise winds up.