Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Health in collaboration with UNICEF (United Nations Children Emergency Fund) and other development partners on Friday 3rd November, 2023 launched the 2023 insecticide treated net, at a Mini Stadium in Bo city, Southern region. The mass distribution campaign goes with the theme “Zero Malaria starts with me”.
Launching the Programme, Deputy Minister of Health, Jalikatu Mustapha touched the importance of the insecticide treated net not just for under-five children and pregnant women but to everyone and everywhere in the country.
The deputy minister went on to state that malaria had been a leading cause of death with no respect for age, gender or nationality. “Sleeping under bed net prevents malaria transmission up to 50% and mortality rate by 25%,” she warned.
The campaign, she said, was conducted every three years as a best way to rapidly scale up reaching all household to own and regularly use the Insecticide treated net. She also reaffirmed government’s commitment to the health sector especially malaria.
In 2021, she said, ‘the Roll Back Malaria’ plan that was developed to achieve President Julius Maada Bio’s vision in improving on the life of people.
She called on the direct beneficiaries to make use of the Insecticide-treated net as it saved them from malaria.
In his statement, the UNICEF Country Representative in Sierra Leone, Rudolf Schwenk said launching of the ‘Mass Distribution Campaign’ of Insecticide-treated Net marked a significant milestone in the effort to end malaria, a preventable and treatable disease. He said the nationwide distribution of over 5, 000, 000 (five million) insecticide-treated bed nets was a significant initiative that saves lives.
Sierra Leone, he said, had made progress over the years to reduce under-five morbidity and mortality but they should not ignore one of leading causes of fewer than 5 deaths in the country.
He said malaria accounted for over 2, 000, 000 (two million) hospital visits per year of which under-five children account for 1, 000, 000 (one million) of these cases. Children’s safety featured prominently in the minister’s speech. “There is a need to protect children and give them a chance to grow up healthy and realise their full potentials,” she urged.
Attaining the Sustainable Development Goal on health, she said, for ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all so that no one was left behind adding that there was also a need to achieve a five-fold reduction which demands collective effort.
In his statement, President for Malaria Initiative USAID (United States Agency for International Development) Representative, Ambassador Bryan David Hunt said Sierra Leone’s democracy and its prosperity were inextricably intertwined with the health of its population.
He said for too long, the burden of preventable disease had derailed the country’s political, economic, and social development.
“It is for this reason that I am very happy and honoured to join you today to launch a key health sector partnership that directly addresses one of the leading causes of mortality in the country,” Ambassador Hunt said.
He said successive governments of Sierra Leone had been steadfast in their commitment to eliminating malaria partnering effectively with the United States in numerous anti-malarial campaigns and committing their own limited human and financial resources towards this effort. He said Sierra Leone had made tremendous progress over the years combatting malaria.
He pointed out that over the past six years under the President’s Malaria Initiative, they had delivered more than 6, 000, 000 (six million) bed nets as first line of defence against malaria and this year they would deliver another 5, 000, 000 (five million) nets with more than 4, 000, 000 (four million) rapid tests, ensuring that people across Sierra Leone.
He said malaria remained one of the biggest threats to children in Sierra Leone and fewer ones today are dying in Sierra Leone than ever before with decrease rate of children mortality.
In his statement, the mayor of Bo City Council, Kobba Musa said to reduce mosquito one needed to focus on sanitation aspect. He promised that they would provide the municipal leadership to ensure that their people used the net for its intended purposes.
He also encouraged the people of Bo not to sell the net as it would have a negative impact on them and their children. Catholic Relief Services representative, Samuel Young highlighted their past contribution to the health sector and other development as well.
He said globally, CRS is adding value on public health such as malaria prevention, HIV/AIDS community strengthening and digital technology is a core value of their work. He said digitalisation of the health sector will help in monitoring and produce efficient evidence and real time data which could be used for programming.
Other speakers who made positive contribution includes, the Resident Minister Southern Region, Chief Medical Officer, Public Health, Paramount Chief Representative in Bo district, Representative from civil society organisations in Sierra Leone, Parliamentary oversight committee on Health and Dr Wurie who chaired the Programme.
Skits performance by Bo comedian to depict the importance of malaria prevention climaxed the programme.