Massive Health Drive: Kogi Unleashes 3.14 Million Mosquito Nets, First Time In A Decade!

The Kogi State Government is set to launch a comprehensive statewide distribution of 3,141,485 insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) to households, marking the first such free campaign in nine years. Scheduled to take place from November 8 to 15, 2026, the initiative aims to significantly reduce malaria transmission and enhance preventive healthcare across the state. This vital campaign is a collaborative effort between the state government, the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), and Malaria Consortium.

Dr. Abdulazeez Adams Adeiza, the Commissioner for Health, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Maji Enoch, addressed the media in Lokoja to highlight the persistent challenges posed by malaria. He emphasized that the campaign is specifically designed to alleviate the disease burden by improving access to essential insecticide-treated nets. Adeiza described malaria as a life-threatening disease, transmitted by infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, and reiterated its severe impact on public health, healthcare costs, productivity, and livelihoods.

According to the Commissioner, Nigeria bears a substantial portion of the global malaria burden, accounting for 24.3% of annual global malaria cases and an estimated 30.3% of the 579,000 malaria-related deaths recorded worldwide each year, based on 2025 data from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Despite these grim statistics, the 2025 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey indicated a national decline in malaria prevalence from 22% in 2021 to 15.2% in 2025. Kogi State specifically recorded a malaria prevalence of 8.9% in the same survey. However, Adeiza cautioned that malaria continues to disrupt essential activities in schools, offices, farms, and markets, leading to reduced productivity and placing significant financial strain on households. Billions of naira are reportedly lost annually due to treatment, prevention expenses, and lost working hours attributable to the disease.

Sleeping under insecticide-treated nets was identified as one of the most effective methods for malaria prevention. Studies have demonstrated that consistent use of ITNs can reduce malaria incidence by up to 50% in sub-Saharan Africa, a region that accounts for over 90% of global malaria cases. The Commissioner strongly urged Kogi residents to take full advantage of this free distribution exercise, underscoring its importance in bolstering malaria prevention efforts after a nine-year hiatus from a statewide free net distribution.

The implementation of the exercise will be overseen by the Kogi State Ministry of Health through its Malaria Elimination Programme, in partnership with NMEP and Malaria Consortium. Personnel, identifiable by uniforms bearing the malaria campaign logo, will visit households to register residents and distribute the nets. Residents are advised to ensure that at least one representative is available during the exercise to complete registration and collect their allocated nets. Furthermore, beneficiaries are instructed to air newly collected nets in the shade for 24 hours before hanging them and to ensure they are properly tucked around sleeping areas and used consistently every night throughout the year.

Adeiza concluded by calling for robust community support and consistent use of the nets, stressing that collective participation is paramount to achieving a significant reduction in malaria transmission and improving overall public health outcomes across Kogi State. Olubunmi Ojelade from Malaria Consortium also participated in the media engagement in Lokoja.