Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has warned residents against selling or diverting free insecticide-treated mosquito nets being distributed to households across the state, urging them to use the nets to protect their families against malaria.
The Governor gave the warning while flagging off the distribution of 3,810,985 insecticide-treated mosquito nets to 1,130,935 households across the state.
The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Hon. Adams Adeiza, said malaria is a major public health concern, particularly for pregnant women and children under five.
He said the disease contributes to maternal complications, miscarriages, low birth weight and anaemia, while also placing financial pressure on households.
According to him, the free mosquito nets campaign by the state government in partnership with Malaria Consortium, is aimed at expanding malaria prevention and protecting families across the state.
He urged health workers and distribution teams to ensure transparency and accountability.
West and Central Africa Programmes Director of Malaria Consortium, Dr Kolawole Maxwell, said the organisation, in partnership with Kogi state government and the National Malaria Elimination Programme, had procured the insecticide-treated nets for distribution across the 21 local government areas and 239 wards in the state.
He disclosed that 6,404 personnel have been trained and deployed for the exercise, stressing that households would be registered and the nets would be tracked to ensure accountability in the exercise.
He urged residents to welcome members of the distribution teams and ensure that all family members, especially children under five and pregnant women, use the nets consistently.
In her remarks, the First Lady of Kogi State Hajiya Sefinat Ododo, represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Acharu Okpanachi, thanked the Malaria Consortium and pledged to promote the use of insecticide-treated nets across the state.
The distribution which began November 11, is expected to last for eight days with trained personnel visiting households and communities to deliver the nets.
Highpoint of the event was the decoration of the First Lady as an ambassador of the Malaria Consortium.
