FCTA, MALARIA CONSORTIUM MOBILISE MEDIA AHEAD OF MASS DOOR-TO-DOOR ITN DISTRIBUTION.

By: Khadijat Kawunda

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), in collaboration with the Malaria Consortium, has called on media practitioners to intensify public awareness and mobilise residents ahead of the mass distribution of over four million Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs) to households across the FCT.

The call was made at a media orientation meeting held on November 5, 2026, ahead of the November 14 flag-off of the door-to-door distribution campaign, aimed at strengthening malaria prevention and reducing the burden of the disease across the Territory.

Speaking at the meeting, the Director of the FCT Public Health Department, Dr. Teresa Nwachukwu, represented by the FCT Malaria Programme Manager, Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim, reaffirmed the Administration’s commitment to strengthening malaria prevention and control through sustained public health interventions and strategic partnerships.

Dr. Nwachukwu described malaria as a preventable but potentially deadly disease, stressing that effective prevention requires sustained public awareness and the adoption of simple protective measures at household and community levels.

She noted that the mass distribution of ITNs represents an important step towards protecting families, particularly vulnerable populations, against malaria, adding that the impact of the intervention would depend not only on the availability of the nets but also on their consistent and proper use.

She further explained that the door-to-door distribution approach was designed to ensure that households across the FCT are reached, making the intervention accessible to residents in different communities. She therefore called on media practitioners to provide accurate and timely information, address misconceptions and encourage residents to participate in the exercise and cultivate the habit of sleeping under insecticide-treated nets every night.

The Director further emphasised the importance of collaboration among government agencies, development partners, community leaders and the media in ensuring that malaria prevention messages reach every household across the Territory.

Presenting the campaign framework, the Campaign Manager of Malaria Consortium, Dr. Titilope Akinlalu, disclosed that the organisation, with philanthropic funding secured through GiveWell, had mobilised resources to procure and distribute over four million ITNs to households across the FCT. She stressed that the success of the intervention would depend not only on distribution but also on consistent utilisation, urging media practitioners to educate residents and promote the proper use of the nets.

On the implementation timeline, Dr. Akinlalu disclosed that training of campaign personnel had commenced on November 5 across the six Area Councils and would continue until November 13, ahead of the official flag-off on November 14, 2026.

The organisers called on media organisations to leverage their platforms and corporate social responsibility initiatives to disseminate accurate information, counter misinformation and encourage public participation.

The campaign, which is part of a multi-state intervention covering the FCT, Kebbi, Borno and Kogi States, is expected to strengthen household protection against malaria and contribute to ongoing efforts to reduce malaria transmission and improve public health outcomes.