…Door-to-door distribution to cover 17 LGAs as government intensifies malaria prevention efforts
The Executive Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to preventive healthcare and the protection of residents against malaria, as the state launched the 2026 Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs) Campaign aimed at reducing malaria infections and deaths.
Represented by his Deputy, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, FNSE, at the official flag-off ceremony held on Friday in Umuahia, Governor Otti emphasized the importance of sustained malaria prevention, community participation, and the effective distribution and consistent use of insecticide-treated nets across the state’s 17 Local Government Areas.
The campaign, which will distribute more than three million insecticide-treated nets across the 17 LGAs, is designed to improve household protection against malaria through door-to-door distribution, digital registration and monitoring, and increased public awareness of the importance of sleeping under treated nets every night.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Governor described malaria prevention as a critical investment in human capital, productivity and the overall well-being of Abia residents.
“Malaria prevention is not merely a health intervention; it is an investment in human capital, productivity and the future of our state. This campaign is about protecting families, preventing illness and saving lives. We must ensure that the nets reach the intended beneficiaries and that households use them correctly and consistently,” Emetu said.
He called on healthcare workers, distribution teams, traditional rulers, religious leaders, community organisations and local government authorities to support the successful implementation of the campaign, stressing the importance of transparent distribution, equitable access and effective monitoring.
The Deputy Governor further urged residents to take personal responsibility for malaria prevention by sleeping under insecticide-treated nets every night, maintaining clean surroundings, eliminating stagnant water where possible and seeking prompt medical attention whenever symptoms suggest malaria.
“The success of this campaign will not be measured only by the number of nets distributed, but by the number of families protected, the reduction in malaria infections and the lives saved. Every eligible household must be reached, and no community should be left behind,” he added.
Emetu commended the Federal Government, the Abia State Ministry of Health, the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), Malaria Consortium and other development partners for their contributions to strengthening malaria prevention and control in the state.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, disclosed that malaria prevalence in Abia had declined from 14.5 per cent in 2021 to 11 per cent in 2025, describing the improvement as encouraging while emphasising the need to intensify interventions to achieve further reductions.
The Commissioner also highlighted the state government’s broader health sector reforms, including the rehabilitation and construction of primary healthcare facilities, the strengthening of general hospitals and the expansion of access to affordable healthcare through the Abia State Health Insurance Scheme.
He noted that the ITN campaign and the State Council on Health, convened alongside the flag-off, reflected the government’s commitment to translating health policies into measurable improvements in the lives of residents.
Representing the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, the National Coordinator of the National Malaria Elimination Programme, Dr. Nnenna Ogbulafor, said the campaign demonstrated the commitment of the Federal Government, the Abia State Government and development partners to reducing Nigeria’s malaria burden.
She disclosed that the campaign would adopt a door-to-door distribution strategy across all 17 LGAs, supported by digital household registration, distribution tracking and data management to improve accountability and ensure equitable access.
Ogbulafor also commended the Abia State Government for its commitment to improving health outcomes, noting that the state’s malaria prevalence had declined from 13.5 per cent in 2018 to 11 per cent in 2025.
In his remarks, the West and Central Africa Programmes Director of Malaria Consortium, Dr. Kolawole Maxwell, said the campaign would deploy approximately 5,000 trained personnel, including community health workers, from October 26, 2026, to conduct household registration and door-to-door net distribution.
He noted that the nets combine two active ingredients, a pyrethroid and chlorfenapyr, to provide protection against mosquitoes, including those resistant to some older insecticide-based interventions.
Maxwell added that the distribution would provide one net for every two people, with campaign performance assessed through monitoring of net ownership, consistent use and malaria outcomes. He stressed that the nets are free and warned against their sale, diversion or misuse.
He further disclosed that the campaign includes an environmental sustainability component for collecting and recycling waste generated during distribution, alongside monitoring arrangements designed to strengthen accountability and guide future malaria prevention programmes.
Maxwell commended Governor Otti for his leadership and partnership, and the First Lady, Mrs. Priscilla Chidinma Otti, for accepting to serve as Abia State’s ITN Ambassador.
In his vote of thanks, the Executive Secretary of the Abia State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Kalu Ulu Kalu, expressed appreciation to the state government, the Ministry of Health, development partners, healthcare workers and other stakeholders for their contributions to the campaign.
He urged the media, community leaders and health authorities to sustain public awareness and ensure that accurate information on the distribution and proper use of the nets reaches every community.
The highlight of the event was a presentation by Malaria Consortium outlining the campaign’s distribution strategy, household registration process, monitoring arrangements and measures to promote the proper use of the nets.
The event was attended by top government functionaries and other dignitaries, including the Member Representing Umuahia South State Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Hon. Emeka Obioma; the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole; the Project Director of the Insecticide-Treated Net Campaign at Malaria Consortium, Mopelola Raji; as well as traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the health sector.
Sir Cyril Chukwudi Eke Mba
Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor of Abia State
October 16, 2026
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