The National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) has begun distributing two million insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) to households across Yobe as part of the 2025 Integrated Malaria Prevention Campaign.

The national coordinator of NMEP, Nnenna Ogbulafor, said this at the inauguration of the integrated campaign in Damaturu on Friday.

Ms Ogbulafor, represented by Chibututu Margaret, said the campaign also integrated the administration of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and amodiaquine (SPAQ) through seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC).

She added that the campaign marked a major milestone in the federal government’s ongoing efforts to eliminate malaria and protect vulnerable groups, especially children under five and pregnant women.

He stated that Nigeria had distributed more than 320 million ITNs and over 450 million SPAQ blisters nationwide since 2009, resulting in a consistent decline in malaria prevalence and under-five mortality.

According to him, Yobe State had consistently demonstrated leadership in malaria prevention, distributing more than five million ITNs since 2011 and administering more than three million SPAQ blisters across four SMC cycles.

“Building on these gains, the state is now set to distribute an additional two million ITNs under the 2025 campaign,” he said.

Ms Ogbulafor said this year’s campaign incorporated innovative approaches, including data-driven, targeted distribution, geospatial mapping, bring-your-own-device (BYOD) technology, and e-tokenisation to enhance transparency and efficiency.

He added that the campaign had also introduced an end-of-life ITN collection and recycling initiative to promote environmental sustainability and improve accountability.

He commended the Yobe government, the Global Fund, Catholic Relief Services, the Malaria Consortium, the Society for Family Health, the WHO, and the Roll Back Malaria partners for their support and collaboration.

In his remarks, Kolawole Maxwell, West and Central Africa Programme director of the Malaria Consortium, said Nigeria accounted for 25.9 per cent of global malaria cases and 30.9 per cent of malaria deaths, according to the 2024 World Malaria Report.

He said this year’s campaign would distribute more than two million ITNs and 4.6 million SPAQ doses to more than one million children under five.

Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe reiterated the state government’s commitment to malaria elimination through sustained collaboration with the federal government and development partners.

Mr Buni, represented by his deputy, Idi Gubana, urged traditional, religious, and community leaders to mobilise residents to collect and use their nets regularly, describing the exercise as vital to improving public health and saving lives.

Some of the beneficiaries, Halima Abubakar and Hannatu Muhammad, thanked the government and its partners for the intervention, describing it as timely and impactful.

(NAN)