9m Rivers Residents To Benefit From New Insecticide-Treated Mosquito Net

An estimated nine million residents of Rivers State are expected o benefit from the distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets aimed at reducing the burden of malaria in the State.

The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr. Vincent Wachukwu, who disclosed this today, when he received a delegation from the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF), United Kingdom, in his office in Port Harcourt, noted that malaria is prevalent in Rivers State due to its rainforest environment and endemic conditions.

He, however, noted that the state’s malaria incidence had declined from 13 per cent to 8.8 per cent, attributing the improvement largely to increased distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and improved public awareness of their proper use.

“Previously, nets were often misused as bedspreads rather than for their intended purpose”, he said.

Dr. Wachukwu expressed confidence that the incidence of malaria would decline further with improved awareness and the commencement of the new net distribution programme, which is scheduled for May 2027.

He said the state was committed to completing the necessary preparatory work and would combine manual planning with the electronic systems being introduced for the campaign.

He also proposed a household-based enumeration approach to improve the accuracy of planning, rather than relying on population movements in and out of communities.

According to him, the engagement of independent monitors during the pre-distribution, distribution and post-distribution phases would strengthen accountability and improve future planning cycles.

Wachukwu welcomed AMF’s plan to move from a one-off intervention to sustained engagement through 2030.

He noted that the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, which has one of the highest numbers of antenatal attendees in the state, would be a major beneficiary of the programme.

He also stressed the need to prioritize pregnant women and children under five in the distribution of the nets, given the severe effects of malaria on maternal, fetal and neonatal health.

The Permanent Secretary pledged the full support of the Rivers State Government and the Ministry of Health to the initiative, promising to mobilize local stakeholders and communities across the state’s Local Government Areas.

He expressed appreciation to the AMF for its partnership with the state and stated the ministry’s commitment to continued collaboration towards the success of the programme.

Speaking earlier, the Programme Director of AMF, UK, Shaun Walsh, said Rivers State had been prioritized as the first state to receive the nets, with distribution scheduled for May 2027 ahead of the peak of the rainy season.

Walsh explained that implementers would be required to manage every stage of the campaign electronically, including household registration and net tracking.

He added that randomized sampling would be conducted at training sessions and registration sites to promote accountability.

He also outlined the foundation’s post-distribution monitoring (PDM) process, under which an organization would visit a randomized sample of 1.5 per cent of recipient households after distribution at intervals of nine, 18 and 27 months.

He said the data generated through the monitoring exercise would be shared transparently with the state government and used to improve subsequent distribution campaigns.

Walsh emphasized AMF’s long-term commitment to Rivers State, stressing that the partnership would extend beyond a single campaign, with continued engagement anticipated through the next full distribution campaign around 2030.

– Alete is the Information/Public Relations Officer, Rivers State Ministry of Health.