The Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDs, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA) in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), United States Government President Malaria Initiative (PMI-US) and Breakthrough Action Nigeria, says all is set to commence distribution of Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets to households across the state.
In this year’s exercise, BACATMA announced the adoption of technology as part of new strategies to ensure the seamless distribution of the Mosquito Nets.
BACATMA’s Executive Chairman, Dr Sani Mohammed Dambam disclosed this at a media parley on the Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets Distribution campaign at the conference hall of the agency on Thursday.
He said throughout the distribution exercise, technology will be used to issue cards and nets contrary to the previous issuance of hand cards which easily get damaged, thus denying its holder access to the net.
Dr Dambam explained the use of technology will also fend off all possible openings for sabotage, hence strengthening the process to allow the nets to get to the targeted families.
“Before the net will be issued to each family, the card must be scanned to identify the owner and document that the corresponding card received its net. This is an upgrade to the previously used-to-be manual process where a lot of complaints about the misplacement of cards abounds,” he said.
Dambam used the medium to appreciate journalists for their positive contributions towards the agency’s successes and called for all hands to be on deck in the fight against Malaria in the state, pointing out that, sleeping inside the Insecticide Treated Mosquito Net is key to achieving that.
In his presentation at the Media Parley, BACATMA’s Director of Malaria Control, Abubakar Musa Usman said that with the prevalence of malaria in Bauchi state being 32% and with almost 44% of children under 5, having fever, ITN effectiveness for malaria control and when properly implemented will contribute remarkably to the reduction malaria prevalence in the country.
