By Olayinka Latona
Towards curbing the menace of malaria infection in Lagos, about 4.1 million  Long-Lasting Insecticide Nets LLINs obtained by the state government through the Global Fund to fight Tuberculosis, AIDS, and Malaria (GFTAM) were distributed to residents.

The four-day exercise, they said which entailed distribution of two mosquito nets to each family was carried out in different distribution zones in the state.

Some of the recipients who were mostly women, turned up at the crack of dawn on each day and not even the scorching sun, or the Saturday morning sanitation exercise could dissuade them

The nets, they said, would  go a long way in curbing the menace of malariabut several others called for extension of the distribution.

Baale of Papa-Ajao, Chief Lawal Arowoye who called for proper training of government officials  in charge of the distribution  appreciated effort of the state government but pointed out lapses which denied some of the residents access to the nets. He said many of them were not able to benefit from the exercise because some government officials in charge of distribution of tickets for the nets did ndo so in all the houses.

A child displaying Insecticide Treated Net.

His  words:  “My observation is that there are some people who are not able to get this mosquito nets especially those living in Olakunle street and also in some areas some of them have come here to complain but there is nothing I can do about it since I don’t have the ticket. In future this should be corrected because this people think they have been marginalised.

They are disenfranchised, government should please address the issue. Also I am appealing that government should continue with the exercise as this will enable those who are unable to get to have their own nets.”

At a distribution point in Ilasamaja, there was delay in distribution and the number of nets were inadequate, and residents who had queued up for hours complained of the inadequacies.

According to Mrs. Foluke Odunsola in Iyana-Itire area, “Some people  had more than one ticket and I don’t know how they did it. We came with our tickets on time but the distributors arrived very late and the people are not even patient at all.” Others are still lamenting their failure to register when officials of the Ministry of Health went round to create awareness on the distribution exercise.