By Jones Anlimah
The Volta Regional Health Directorate is expected to distribute over 1.2 million Long-Lasting Insecticide-treated bednets across the Volta region during this year’s Point Bednets Mass Distribution campaign across the country.
More than 466,000 households out of a population of over 2 million in the region are expected to benefit from the distribution exercise which starts from 11th to the 15th of April, 2024.
At a media launch to inaugurate the campaign, the Volta Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Chrisantus Kubio emphasized the importance of awareness creation and widespread community involvement to ensure the success of the distribution campaign.
Malaria remains a significant public health concern in many regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where it poses a serious threat to human health and well-being, especially children.
The use of insecticide-treated bed nets is thus a cost-effective approach to reducing new cases and deaths due to malaria and it has been established that about 30% of under-five deaths are prevented using Long Lasting Insecticide Nets.
The Long-Lasting Insecticide-treated nets distribution campaign, also called the Point Mass Distribution campaign is one of the malaria preventive strategies of the National Malaria Elimination Program. The campaign uses the universal coverage approach of 1 net for 2 people of distributing Long Lasting Insecticides Nets to the public, with a focus on the household level.
The distribution campaign represents a collaborative effort between government health agencies, local communities, and various stakeholders committed to eradicating Malaria and improving overall health outcomes in the country at large and Volta region in particular.
At a media launch of the campaign in the Volta region, the Volta Regional Director of Health Services Dr. Chrysantus Kubio, said the campaign will be undertaken in all 18 administrative districts and municipalities of the Volta region.
He noted that the upcoming Long Lasting Insecticide Nets campaign which starts from April 11 to 15, also serves as a replacement campaign for bed nets that were distributed between November and December 2021 in the region due to the 3-year effective cycle.
He called for the support of all to make the exercise in the region a success. “We aim to distribute LLINS to at least 90% of all registered households. The general population of the region regardless of age, and nationality would receive bed nets based on household registration using the universal coverage approach of one (1) bed net to two (2) persons. The distribution of the nets will take place from this week 11th – 15th April 2024.”, he said.
He added “Let us all take note that the nets are not for sale. The LLINS can be used even after the 3–year chemical life span and 20 washes because the net continues to provide physical protection to users until they acquire a new one.”
According to Officials of the health directorate, it was unfortunate that over 3500 people in the region refused to register to benefit from the national exercise. This they hope will improve over time to boost the region’s overall performance and Malaria indicators in the region.
