Hunger Protest: Jigawa Shifts flag-off for distribution of over 3M ITNs

By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

Following the violence that broke out from the #EndBadGovernance protests in the State, the Jigawa state government has postponed the flagg-off of the statewide Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) distribution from 9th August, 2024 to 17th August, 2024

The state’s commissioner of health, Dr Abdullahi Kainuwa made the disosure during the 1st review meeting held at new Secretariat Dutse at a meeting is between the Jigawa state government and Malaria Consortium Programme.

The commissioner who was represented by Dr Mahmud Abdulwahab, said the state government in collaboration with the Malaria Consortium Programme provided over three million Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets (ITNs) to be distributed to the people of the state for free.

Dr Abdulwahab noted that, the adjustment of date followed the nationwide protest which affected the plans and logistics arrangements for the ITNs disbursement.

He stated further that “the shift in the flag-off date was considered following security advise.
“It’s now rescheduled to 17th of this month instead of 9th as earlier announced”.

According to the commissioner 7.4 million families will benefit from the ITNs in over 250 political wards in the state.

“As parts of the distribution process over 1.3 million persons have collected ITNs distribution cards which would be used for collection after the flag-off of the exercise across the state”.

The director public health further disclose that over 1.4 million children under five years had been administered with Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) drugs in the just concluded malaria prevention exercise in Jigawa state.

He added that, “A total of 1, 415, 438 have been administered with the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) in 27 local government areas of the state.

He also indicated that “The eligible children for the drugs are 1,446,533 across the state adding that 1,415,438 children have received, representing 102 coverage of the exercise which is huge success”.

He noted that the children drawn from 1.633,622 households will have four round of the exercise this year, designed to hold in July, August, September and October”.