World Malaria Day: FG to give two nets to each household –Minister
By Niyi Odebode

The Federal Government will, in the next 12 months, give each household in Nigeria two insecticide-treated nets as part of efforts to combat malaria in the country.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, who disclosed this in a statement by his Special Assistant on Communication, Mr. Niyi Ojuolape, said the distribution of the nets was part of the integrated approach by the ministry to reduce disease burden in the country.

In the statement issued to mark the World Malaria Day, which will be celebrated on Saturday the minister stated that 61 million nets would be distributed to about 31million households in the country.
http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200904244355210

Osotimehin disclosed this just as the United Nations International Children‘s Fund expressed concern that in Nigeria, ”only two per cent of children under five years and pregnant women sleep under insecticide-treated nets.”

In a statement issued in Geneva, UNICEF said, ”Malaria is responsible for 30 per cent of childhood mortality and 11 per cent of maternal mortality. It reduces Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product by one per cent and is the commonest cause of absenteeism from schools, offices, farms and markets.”

But the minister, in the statement by his special assistant, explained government‘s efforts to combat malaria.

He said, “We are placing two mosquito nets in every household in Nigeria. These are not just the traditional mosquito nets as we used to know it. They are long lasting nets that have been treated with insecticides.”

According to him, the programme involves the placement of over 61million nets into about 31million households in Nigeria.

Osotimehin, who did not give the cost of the programme, stated that it would be funded by the government and development partners.

He added, “The resources we require from the government are available. Very importantly also is the goodwill and support of our development partners. This is also a direct result of the confidence they have in us to deliver.”

According to him, the nets have been treated with insecticides. He explained that they would not only repel mosquitoes, but also kill them.

The minister stated, ”The nets are special and very efficacious in tracking down and killing mosquitoes. They are called long lasting insecticidal nets. They are products of new technologies.”

They are ready to use and they require no treatment in that they are also dirt repellents and thus the nets are kept clean longer than usual.”

He recalled that until 2006, chloroquine was used for the treatment of malaria. The minister said that since 2006, the country had adopted the use of Artemisinin based Combination Therapies for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria.

According to him, the Federal Government and development partners have distributed 28m doses of ACTs to all the states since 2006.

Giving a situation report on the Roll Back Malaria programme, the UNICEF Executive Director, Ann M. Veneman, stated that progress had been made in combating malaria, particularly in Africa.

She disclosed that endemic African countries received enough nets between 2004 and 2008 to cover more than 40 per cent of their ”at risk- populations.”

According to the executive director, since 2004 the number of ITNs produced worldwide has more than tripled from 30 million to 100 million in 2008.

Veneman stated that effective programmes had led to declines in malaria cases and deaths at health facilities in many countries, including Eritrea, Rwanda, Zambia and Madagascar.

The executive director, however, expressed concern about high incidence of malaria in Nigeria, despite the country‘s laudable programme on the Roll Back Malaria.

According to him, the programme involves the placement of over 61million nets into about 31million households in Nigeria.

Are they crazy? We are talking at least a dollar each here.

Kobojunkie:

Are they crazy? We are talking at least a dollar each here.

but the prevention of malaria is cheaper than trying to cure it. So what's the big deal?

Why not sanitize the environment, won't that be cheaper than supplying nets?. Who will be given the contract?

Are they crazy? We are talking at least a dollar each here.

That will be less than $70M which is not that much for a country of over 150M population.

bawomolo:

but the prevention of malaria is cheaper than trying to cure it. So what's the big deal?

The prevention of malaria is cheaper than trying to cure it? What do you mean? These people are about to throw 61 million down the sewer and you are saying it is cheaper to do this than to work on cleaning up the environment to reduce cases of malaria in the first place?

Aloy.Emeka:

That will be less than $70M which is not that much for a country of over 150M population.

Dude. . .  I have a box filled with mosquito nets here and I can honestly tell you that the good quality nets cost nothing less than $7 bucks each at walmart. At yaba, last time I went to purchase a net, it was high up over a thousand.  If we spend 61 million on nets now. Do we spend another at christmas when those nets would be seriously due for replacement?

Kobojunkie:

The prevention of malaria is cheaper than trying to cure it? What do you mean? These people are about to throw 61 million down the sewer and you are saying it is cheaper to do this than actually working on cleaning up the environment to reduce cases of malaria in the first place?

This is one way of stealing the $300m  donated by world bank.

It has started and they will not rest until they retire nonsense. I rightly predicted this in an article i wrote in my blog. Thieves!

Dude. . . I have a box filled with mosquito nets here and I can honestly tell you that the good quality nets cost nothing less than $7 bucks each at walmart. At yaba, last time I went to purchase a net, it was high up over a thousand. If we spend 61 million on nets now. Do we spend another at christmas when those nets would be seriously due for replacement?

High quality nets should last us for at least 2 years. We no be Americans wey change things anyhow, we sabi manage life for here. Please send down those okrika nets to the orphanages in Nigeria if you can.

Kobojunkie:

The prevention of malaria is cheaper than trying to cure it? What do you mean? These people are about to throw 61 million down the sewer and you are saying it is cheaper to do this than to work on cleaning up the environment to reduce cases of malaria in the first place?

Preventative measures against diseases such as malaria are cheaper than trying to buy medication to cure them.   How exactly preventative measures constitute throwing money down the sewer.  Is it the responsibility of the ministry of health to clean the street?  Things would be fine if the respective ministries did their assigned duties.    

As per the price of the nets, maybe they got a discount based on bulk purchase  

This is one way of stealing the $300m donated by world bank.

what exactly is wrong with this program?

This is one way of stealing the $300m  donated by world bank.

It has started and they will not rest until they retire nonsense. I rightly predicted this in an article i wrote in my blog. Thieves!

Agaba nwoke nnaaa! Do you want the net yes or no?. That na your part of national cake o.

As per the price of the nets, maybe they got a discount based on bulk purchase

Made in China low quality nets will not cost more than 50cents each. The contract price may be around $10 each and be rest assured they will tear under two months.

Aloy.Emeka:

Made in China low quality nets will not cost more than 50cents each. The contract price may be around $10 each and be rest assured they will tear under two months.

na true you talk brother. That net would pafuka faster than our made in china satelite

The nets are nonsense no.1

They steal them and send to pharmacies where they are sold at N1000

bawomolo:

Preventative measures against diseases such as malaria are cheaper than trying to buy medication to cure them.   How exactly preventative measures constitute throwing money down the sewer.  Is it the responsibility of the ministry of health to clean the street?  Things would be fine if the respective ministries did their assigned duties.    

So it is not the health ministry’s place to clean our streets but it is the health ministry’s place to purchase nets for individuals? What next? The health ministry will take it on itself to purchase condoms for Nigerians as well?

bawomolo:

As per the price of the nets, maybe they got a discount based on bulk purchase  
what exactly is wrong with this program?

For one, the money to be spent is in my opinion not being spent right. I think it would benefit a community more if that money was put towards measures aimed at cleaning up the environment and improving the lives of the people. Will the ministry also come in to purchase bottled water so people do not get cholera?

The nets I have now, I got from a going out of business sale. Even till the last day, I was still unable to get them for less than $5 bucks each. Lol . 61 million nets on bulk sale?? lol We are still talking millions, which should be used for better.

I have used nets but I still get bitten by those little buggers every now and then. They know there way around. I mean net or none, when you have about 1000 of those things around, like sperms, one is bound to get through!!

The nets are nonsense no.1

They steal them and send to pharmacies where they are sold at N1000

Can you imagine how they will conduct the exercise?. It's time to befriend local govt counselors because they will supply you a container of nets meant for the constituency for N100K. Remember when the govt shared fertilizer to rural farmers in Nigeria and how it went. That was before Nigeria became super corrupt.

So it is not the health ministry’s place to clean our streets but it is the health ministry’s place to purchase nets for individuals? What next? The health ministry will take it on itself to purchase condoms for Nigerians as well?

ever heard of condom distribution programs?

I have used nets but I still get bitten by those little buggers every now and then. They know there way around. I mean net or none, when you have about 1000 of those things around, like sperms, one is bound to get through!!

you are a nigerian woman. one mosquito no fit kill you

bawomolo:

ever heard of condom distribution programs?

I actually heard of that but always wanted to believe it was of the past. By the way, how has that been working out for us?
My point still remains that the health ministry could achieve much more results if it spent that money on more beneficial endeavors than going out to purchase nets for families. By the way, what happens to the millions of households who end up without nets? Are they not worth protecting under this plan then?  Or is this the first phase? How long do we plan to do this? Isn’t it possible that by the time the FMH is ready to purchase nets for the second batch, the first batch would need to be replaced at that time?

bawomolo:

I have used nets but I still get bitten by those little buggers every now and then. They know there way around. I mean net or none, when you have about 1000 of those things around, like sperms, one is bound to get through!!
you are a nigerian woman. one mosquito no fit kill you

One mosquito is enough to give anyone, man or woman malaria. My niece went home for the first time last summer. She slept under two layers of mosquito nets(both pierone quality nets). Guess what? She had to be hospitalized for almost a week when she got back. The CDC made an issue of the fact that she had malaria and was already on American shores. We could not take her home until we were cleared to leave. Roflmao!!

My niece went home for the first time last summer.

no wonder. People like us who were born in Nigeria typically gain immunity after a couple of malaria bouts as a child . It's not easy living in the tropics if you are not born there.

Isn’t it possible that by the time the FMH is ready to purchase nets for the second batch, the first batch would need to be replaced at that time?

That's a possibility that i hope was considered or else we would be back to square one. Nigerians as individuals should also take their hygene serious. No peeing in gutters (i have been guilty of this personally) and all that nasty stuff.

bawomolo:

no wonder. People like us who were born in Nigeria typically gain immunity after a couple of malaria bouts as a child . It's not easy living in the tropics if you are not born there
That's a possibility that i hope was considered or else we would be back to square one. Nigerians as individuals should also take their hygene serious. No peeing in gutters (i have been guilty of this personally) and all that nasty stuff.

In my opinion, it is not a good plan. Charities, and non profits should worry about supplying the people with nets. The FMH, on the other hand, should focus on preventative measures that do not waste public money and actually yield lasting results.

Another plan by those Politicians to enrish their pockets.The nets wud never get the masses,it wud definitely end up in the pharmacies.

Another plan by those Politicians to enrish their pockets.The nets wud never get the masses,it wud definitely end up in the pharmacies.

Do pharmacies sell mosquito nets in Nigeria?

I am guessing they are about to start selling those soon. lol

Aloy.Emeka:

Do pharmacies sell mosquito nets in Nigeria?

yes and the doctor/pharmacist would also instruct u on where to buy his own stack of nets.

That's absolutely ludicrous. Just a little investment in, and continuous management of the environment would do. It's about time we stopped looking to Nigeria for these trivial gains. We need real, positive, effective and long lasting initiative to pull thru decades, Plz, ask the guy to in another direction if he his really committed to improving lives.

yes and the doctor/pharmacist would also instruct u on where to buy his own stack of nets.

I didn't know that. Thanks.

The contractor that will supply the nets don hammmerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
I bet the company supplying the nets will be owned by _{someone in government}. Enough Inflation.
What a saddistic, foolish, and ridiculous country.

A-town:

The contractor that will supply the nets don hammmerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
I bet the company supplying the nets will be owned by _{someone in government}. Enough Inflation.
What a saddistic, foolish, and ridiculous country.

you know wetin dey happen.

With that money, FMH could pay workers to actually go around to the heavily affected areas to clean up the environment and teach women and children how to clean up so they do not fall ill, save themselves money and live in better health.

They need it for periwinkles jare

MrCrackles:

Net for what?


Naija mosquitoes are too much for nets