By Tina George, Minna
Niger state commissioner for Health, Dr Muhammad Makunsidi has appealed to the people of the state to stop misusing the long-lasting insecticide-treated nets.
Speaking in Minna at a press briefing to commemorate the 2021 World Malaria Day 2021, he said that it is unfortunate that people would misuse the nets after government had spent millions of Naira in providing the nets for prevention of malaria.
According to him, instead of using the nets to protect themselves, people collect these nets to use in protecting their crops and animals.
“It is very unfortunate that we have this kind of system in Nigeria. Because anything you bring to Nigeria, no matter how good it is, 90 per cent of the population will have a negative approach towards utilizing it.
“In Niger state, it is sad that people use these insecticide-treated nets to protect their farms and animal houses instead of themselves.
“They use it to cover their yam when taking it from the farm to the market, some use it to cover their pepper and vegetables from insects and animals, in riverine areas, it is used to cover their fish ponds so that toads will not enter into it and pick the fish. Sadly, a lot of people abuse the use of the mosquito net,” he said.
Makunsidi however said that the state government will not relent in sensitizing the people on how effectively to use the insecticide-treated nets.
“We will continue sensitization and enlightenment about what the long-lasting insecticide nets are used for. The nets are to protect the people from getting malaria”.
He said that the state has malaria prevalence of 31.6 prevalence, according to microscopy and a prevalence of 43.8 per cent, according to rapid diagnostic test.
He added that malaria causes 30 per cent of under-five mortality and 11 per cent maternal mortality in the state.
The Commissioner said that in 2020, 209,575 Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) were distributed free to pregnant women and children under one year in the State through antenatal care and routine Immunization services.
He added that 1,297,342 persons were tested free of charge for malaria using Rapid Diagnostic Test kits (RDTs) in 2020, stating that out of this number, 1,028,553 people were found to have malaria and were treated with free ACTs.
Makunsidi further said that 195,075 pregnant women received free malaria prevention drugs in 2020.
He reiterated the government commitment towards providing essential anti-malaria commodities such as Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets, Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs), Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamine, and Rapid Diagnostic Test kits and Artesunate injection to the people in the state.
