No fewer than 3.3 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets are to be distributed free to residents of Ondo State, as part of measures by government to prevent malaria.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Mrs Folukemi Aladenola, made the disclosure at a media briefing on insecticide-treated net campaign, on Tuesday in Akure.

Aladenola, who said that the distribution would cut across all the 18 local government areas of the state, added that the last time such an exercise was carried out in the state was in 2017.

She said that the elimination of malaria depended on contributions from everybody.

According to her, the campaign will be flagged off on Dec. 8, while registration and distribution of the nets will be done on December 9.

Also, the Demand Creation Advisor of Malaria Consortium Group, Dr Anthony Ehon, said that every household was targeted to receive the net.

He said that every two persons in a household would receive a net during the exercise expected to last for 12 days, with two days for mop-up exercise.

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Ehon urged the media to support the exercise by keeping malaria issues and the need to imbibe the mosquito net culture in the front burner.

He said that sleeping inside the nets would protect people from mosquitoes that spread malaria, adding that it would also ensure sound and undisturbed sleep.

“Hanging and sleeping inside the nets is easier than treating malaria,” he said.

Ehon also cautioned that wrong use of the nets might cause skin itching, rashes, redness of skin and redness of eye, adding that the discomfort would disappear within a short time.

He also urged that the nets should be aired under the shade for 24 hours before use and washed with mild soap, if dirty.

“After washing, air under the shade to dry and do not wash more than four to five times in a year or 20 washes within three years.

“When the net is torn, mend it with thread and needle. Do not use your net more than three years,” he said.

Also speaking, Mrs Ada-Eze Aidenagbon, a Senior Official of the group, noted that feelings of discomfort by the use of the nets would be reduced in the course of use.

“If it feels hot when you sleep under the net, the discomfort will reduce as you use it. You should also keep your window open for fresh air to reduce the heat and dress lightly,” she said.

(NAN)

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