By Zaharaddeen Ishaq Abubakar | Katsina Times
The Katsina State Ministry of Health has announced a large-scale campaign to distribute insecticide-treated mosquito nets and malaria preventive drugs to children aged 3 to 59 months across all 34 local government areas of the state.
The Ministry made this known during a press briefing on Tuesday, where officials detailed the strategy, target beneficiaries, and expected impact of the intervention.
Gbue Denen Daniel, a representative of the National Family Health Programme, described the initiative as a periodic campaign designed to reduce malaria-related illnesses and deaths. He said over 4 million insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) would be distributed to households, along with more than 9 million doses of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) drugs for eligible children.
According to Daniel, designated distribution points have been established in various communities where registered households can present collection cards to receive mosquito nets. Meanwhile, the malaria preventive drugs for children will be administered through a house-to-house approach.
He noted that registration is already underway for the first round of the campaign. “Each registered household receives a collection card, and without it, no one will be given the preventive drugs or nets,” he warned.
He added that the quantity of items allocated to each household would be based on data gathered during registration and verified using digital devices at the point of collection.
Regarding the preventive drugs, Daniel explained that only children aged 3 to 59 months who are not currently suffering from malaria are eligible to receive them, emphasizing that “the medicine is preventive, not curative.”
He outlined key guidelines, including: administering the first dose of the drug in the presence of a health official, completing the dosage over three consecutive days to ensure full protection, and consistently sleeping under insecticide-treated nets.
Daniel emphasized that the campaign is part of Katsina State Government’s commitment to eradicating malaria in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), and with support from the Global Fund Malaria Project.
During the briefing, Daniel and his colleague, Catherine Igoh, presented a video highlighting the devastating impact of malaria—especially during the rainy season—and demonstrated how the intervention would protect children through regular use of treated nets and timely administration of preventive medication.
The Ministry of Health also called on the media and the general public to help spread awareness about the campaign and ensure maximum participation, particularly among vulnerable households.
