Group Tasks Nigerians on Use of Treated Nets

As part of efforts to eradicate malaria in Nigeria, Total Group Nigeria has called on Nigerians to imbibe the culture of using the Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLITN) to prevent mosquito bites as well as malaria.

The call was made by the Corporate Affairs Manager, Albert Manuyaju, during the company’s malaria sensitization programme and distribution of LLITN to 500 households in Ibafon community of Lagos State to mark this year’s World Malaria Day.

The programme which mainly targeted about 3,520 people, especially children under age 5 and pregnant women, also educated other community members on hygiene, treatment of malaria, as well as how to hang the mosquito preventive nets.

According to Manuyaju, the use of the LLITNs each night is one of the most effective ways to prevent malaria as they have been demonstrated to be one of the most effective malaria vector control methods available to date.

He said studies in a number of countries in Africa have reported a 17 per cent to 63 per cent reduction rate in the overall child mortality resulting from the use of the nets, hence the reason Total Group Nigeria is all out to support the eradication of the scourge through distribution of the LLITN.

“This is a programme we do every year to mark the World Malaria Day, as part of our corporate social responsibility to the people and our host communities.

“And so far we have been able to impact the people’s lives through this programme. The one we did last year yielded tremendous positive results.

After last year’s malaria awareness creation programme and distribution of the treated nets, our research team went back to do a survey in the community and it was discovered that the incidence of malaria in that community dropped by 25 per cent.”

He said they intend achieving more results through this years programme because the community members have been very corporative and eager to learn how to use the mosquito nets.