As part of her contribution
in tackling the scourge of malaria in Nigeria, the United States of
America through her Agency for International Development has donated
over 4.5 million bed nets valued at $13.5m to Oyo State.
The
bed nets which were handed over to the Oyo State Governor, Senator
Abiola Ajimobi, at the commencement of distribution of Mosquito treated
nets would be given out through a mass campaign scheduled to take place
today, within the 33 local government areas of the state.
According
to a press release from the US Embassy in Abuja, in addition to the bed
nets donated, the United States Government also provided an additional
$4.5 million to support the logistics of the campaign, including
transportation of the bed nets, community mobilisation, training, and
household mobilisation.
United
States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Nigeria, Mission
Director, represented by Dr. Rick Niska, while handing over the nets
said, “These nets and the support for distribution are a gift from the
people of the United States to the people of Oyo State. We congratulate
you on the ambition, initiative, and dedication it takes to plan,
coordinate, and launch a statewide mass distribution of bed nets.”
While
stating that malaria was one of the leading killers of children and a
leading cause of illness in Nigeria, particularly during the rainy
season when the mosquito population increases, the release noted that
nightly use of an insecticide treated bed net was the best way to
prevent malaria.
“Bed
nets put a vital barrier between people and the mosquitoes that carry
malaria, particularly during the hours from dusk to dawn.
“Use
of insecticide treated bed nets prevents infections, which in turn
prevents the spread of malaria. Bed nets help to interrupt that cycle.
A bed net not only protects an individual –when bed nets are used by
everyone, particularly those who are already sick with malaria, bed nets
also prevent others from becoming infected” the statement said.
According
to the statement, the U.S. government since 2011 has provided $419
million to control malaria in Nigeria. “Over 50 percent of U.S. funding
for malaria goes into procuring and distributing insecticide treated bed
nets, malaria diagnostic kits, and malaria medicines. U.S. also
supports advocacy and community mobilisation to sleep under the bed nets
every night, training of health workers, and test for malaria before
treatment”.
The
Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, a cross-section of
traditional rulers, and Federal and State government officials attended
the event, showing their support for overcoming malaria in Oyo State. THIS DAY
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