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ABOUT three million insecticide mosquito nets are to be distributed across Ondo State as part of the efforts to prevent malaria by the Federal Government.

 The Head, National Malaria Elimination Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, Nneka Ndubuisi, said this during a sensitisation programme in Akure, the state capital. Ndubuisi said the distribution became imperative to prevent children under five years of age and pregnant mothers from malaria parasites. 

According to her, the best opportunity for scaling up malaria prevention is the use of Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs). She added that the nets are designed to maintain utmost biological efficacy against mosquitoes for three years, particularly where they are used under recommended conditions.

 Ndubuisi explained that the distribution of the mosquito nets will be preceded by household mobilisation between October 7 and 15, while mobilisers will visit households to register residents and issue cards to them. She said one net would be given to two persons and maximum of four nets to a household. Speaking on the procedure for the nets, she said, “Air the LLIN under the shade and not under the sun for 24 hours before use. Until you do this, avoid body contact as much as possible.

 “Hang the nets up over your sleeping area which could be a mat or bed and tuck in the nets from all sides ensuring that no space could permit entrance of mosquitoes. Repeat this anytime you leave your sleeping area” “It is still better to tolerate the smell which disappears in few days rather than have malaria as it exerts a huge social and economic burden on our communities and country,   billions of Naira are lost to malaria annually in terms of treatment cost,   prevention and loss of man hour”. Etisalat moves against malaria with distribution of treated nets