The Kogi State Government has announced plans to distribute more than 3.1 million free insecticide-treated mosquito nets to households across the state as part of renewed efforts to prevent malaria infections.
The campaign, organized in partnership with the Malaria Consortium and the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), will cover all 21 local government areas. According to the state government, the exercise will run from November 8 to 15, 2026, with a total of 3,141,485 insecticide-treated nets scheduled for distribution.
The announcement was made by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Abdulazeez Adams Adeiza, during a media briefing in Lokoja. He was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Mr Maji Enoch.
The distribution is particularly significant because Kogi has not benefited from a free statewide insecticide-treated net campaign in the last nine years. The government hopes the initiative will improve household protection against malaria, a mosquito-borne disease that remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria.
According to the 2025 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey, Kogi recorded a malaria prevalence of 8.9 per cent. The national prevalence also declined from 22 per cent in 2021 to 15.2 per cent in 2025.
How Residents Will Receive and Use the Mosquito Nets
The distribution exercise will involve designated campaign personnel visiting households to register residents and provide the free mosquito nets. Distribution will be based on household population, with one net allocated for every two people.
Residents have been advised to ensure that an adult household representative is available during the exercise to complete registration and collect the allocated nets.
The Malaria Consortium also emphasised that distributing the nets alone would not be enough without consistent usage. Residents are therefore being encouraged to sleep under insecticide-treated nets every night to reduce exposure to malaria-carrying mosquitoes.
Beneficiaries should air newly collected nets in a shaded, well-ventilated area for 24 hours before hanging them. They should also follow the manufacturer’s care instructions to maintain the nets’ effectiveness.
Insecticide-treated nets are an important malaria prevention measure because they provide a physical barrier against mosquito bites while the insecticide helps repel or kill mosquitoes that come into contact with the net.
The campaign is expected to strengthen malaria prevention across Kogi communities, particularly among households with children and other vulnerable residents. Health officials have urged residents to participate in the exercise and make proper use of the nets to support the state’s efforts to reduce malaria infections.
Source: https://trustradio.com.ng/en/malaria-kogi-to-distribute-3-1m-treated-nets?
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