The Ogun State government has set an ambitious goal to be the first state in Nigeria to achieve malaria-free status by the year 2030. This announcement was made by Dr. Tomi Coker, the Ogun State Commissioner for Health, during a recent debriefing of the Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) Campaign held at the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Coker highlighted that the state is committed to reducing the burden of malaria through various strategic initiatives, including the distribution of approximately 2.5 million treated mosquito nets to over one million households across Ogun State. This initiative is supported by the Society For Family Health and other development partners, along with both state and federal government efforts.
"Egypt's recent achievement of a malaria-free status serves as a powerful motivation for us," said Dr. Coker. "We believe that with a manageable population and the right strategies in place, we can aspire to achieve this goal by 2030."
To ensure effective utilization of the distributed mosquito nets, Dr. Coker proposed employing carpenters to assist households in properly installing these nets. "It is crucial that our citizens not only receive these nets but also use them effectively to protect themselves from malaria," she emphasized.
The campaign's Project Director, Dr. John Ocholi, noted that while the original target was to distribute 2.9 million nets, logistical challenges prevented reaching this goal fully. He acknowledged that economic barriers faced by some households hindered their ability to collect the nets.
Moving forward, Ogun State plans to continue its efforts in malaria prevention through educational campaigns and targeted distributions at health facilities for vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children under five.