By Gbenga Akingbule.
The Borno State Government, in collaboration with the Malaria Consortium, on Thursday commence the distribution of 5 million free insecticide-treated Nets (ITNs), marking the largest single mosquito-net distribution in the state, with more than 1.6 million households across urban and rural communities targeted in the campaign against malaria.
Gatekeepers News reports that, according to state officials, the 2026 exercise is designed to reduce the prevalence of malaria cases across the state by ensuring more residents have access to and make proper use of insecticide-treated nets.
This was made know when stakeholders in the healthcare sector, including representative of World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF , Malaria Consortium, officials of the Borno State Government amongst others converged at State Hotel Maiduguri, venue of the flag-off of the 2026 free distribution ITNs.
Prof. Falmata Babagana Zulum, Wife of the Borno State Governor who was inaugurated as the ITN Ambassador, pledged to lead the door-to-door campaign and rally residents across the state towards increased use of the nets in the fight against malaria.
The Borno First Lady, said the campaign would focus on ensuring that households not only receive the nets but also understand the importance of sleeping under them regularly, particularly children, women and other vulnerable members of the family.
” I will work through our women leaders, our faith based platforms” adding that ” I will lend my voice and presence to the campaign until every eligible household is covered, including those in the remotest communities of Borno State ” Prof Falmata Zulum said.
While urging residents across the state to take advantage of the free distribution exercise and make proper use of the nets,the first lady said the military in the front line and other security personnel as well as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and returnees will be reached noting that ” malaria does not discriminate and neither must our distribution do.”
Commissioner of Health in Borno State , Prof. Baba Mallam Gana said ” in 2023 alone , more than 527,000 were confirmed cases recorded in our facilities – the were confirmed to have malaria . But we know that many more never reached out health facilities.
Prof Gana who stressed the importance of collective action at both household and community levels, said children under the age of five years and pregnant women bear the heaviest burden of malaria, noting that “Nigeria accounts for about 30 per cent of malaria-related deaths globally, and estimated 4,000 children die from malaria every week, ”
” The state Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum has given this (malaria) campaign his nod and backing and his direct instruction is that nothing should be allowed to delay or diminish this process . The state government has provided secure warehousing at the state and local government levels , security of convoys and distribution teams.” Prof Gana said.
Dr Maxwell Kolawole, West and Central Africa Programmes Director, Malaria Consortium revealed that the campaign in Borno is part of the four states programme including , Abia , Lagos And the Federal Capital Territory (FCT ) where a total of 16 million ITNs have been allocated for free distribution.
Dr Kolawole stated that ” To move closer to malaria elimination in Borno, we must continue to deploy a mix of balanced package of malaria interventions in line with WHO recommendations
” Each household will receive enough nets for us to be able to archive the universal coverage of ITN goal- which is an average of one net to two people.” Dr Kolawole said
The State Coordinator of World Health Organisation (WHO) Pham Akeem Busari revealed that four countries accounted for just over half of all malaria deaths globally” Nigeria (30.9%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (11.3%), the Niger (5.9%) and the United Republic of Tanzania (4.3%). Nigeria accounted for 39.3% of global malaria deaths in children aged under 5 years.”
Busari, however, urged beneficiaries to make proper use of the insecticide-treated nets and avoid selling them, noting that the nets were distributed as a vital intervention to protect households, particularly vulnerable groups, from malaria.
The ITN Project Coordinator, Mopelola Ajibike Raji said that total number of Insecticide Treated Nets for Borno State stood at ” 5,042,700 and 4,184 distribution points across the State .”
