ANAMBRA STATE GOVERNMENT

IN COLLABORATION WITH

MALARIA CONSORTIUM

AND

NATIONAL MALARIA ELIMINATION PROGRAMME (NMEP)

2022 ANAMBRA STATE ITN MASS CAMPAIGN REPORT

IN

NNEWI NORTH LGA

By

IDONGESIT UDOFOT ETUKUDO

Training and Technology Administrator (TTA)

21st AUG, 2022

2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

Final Approval

Report signed off by: AHMED OLOGOLO

Date Initials

For Final 21-08-2022 A. O

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2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

Table of Contents

Section Page No.

Section 1 Title Page 1
Table of Contents 3
Abbreviations and Acronyms 4
Acknowledgements 5
Section 2 Executive Summary (summary of findings and 8
recommendations)
Section 3 3.1 Background & Introduction 9
3.2 Key Activities 9-10
3.3 Approach and Methodology 10-11
3.4 Key Findings and Analysis 11-12
3.5 Recommendations and next steps 12
3.6 Conclusions 12
Section 4 Annexes: 13
Annex 1 Terms of Reference 14
Annex 2 List of people consulted 15

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2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

CAT- Cash and Asset Transfer

CIT- Campaign Implementation Team

CS- Cluster Supervisor

CSO- Civil Society Organization

CTAT- Campaign Technical Assistant Team

DC- Demand Creation

DH- Distribution Hub

DHS- Distribution Hub Supervisor

HE- Health Educator

HHM- House Hold Mobilizer

ICC- Inventory Control Card

ICT4D - Information and Communication Technology for Development

IPC- Interpersonal Communication

ITN- Insecticide-treated net

LGA- Local Government Area

LGA TA- Local Government Area Technical Assistant

MDT- Mobilization and Distribution Team

MFP- Malaria Focal Person

MoH- Medical officer of Health

PHCC- Primary Health Care Coordinator

RBM- Roll Back Malaria

TTA- Training and Technology Administrator

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2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Foremost, I appreciate the support, oversight, coordination, and leadership provided by the
Government of Anambra State, the Malaria Consortium Campaign Implementation Team, and
the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) during this project.

Special gratitude goes to the Campaign Manager, Mrs. Olaitan Adeniyi, for the proper plan and
coordination of all activities related to the delivery of ITNs to households in Anambra State, and
the Technical Work Stream Advisor, Mrs. Titilope Akinlalu, a member of CTAT for her support
in the implementation of ITN mass campaign through technical assistance and oversight on all
activities.

I am grateful to my ICT4D Cluster Supervisor, Mr. Ahmed Ologolo, for his assistance, technical
support, and oversight on ICT4D for Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) mass campaigns and to Mr.
Brain Okafor, the LGA Coordinator, for effective coordination and regular feedback to the
Campaign Implementation Team about all campaign activities in Nnewi North LGA.

Thank you to the LGA Team, which included the PHCC, Dr. Njelita Chukwudi, MFP, Mrs.
Felicia Igbokwe, HE, Mrs. Angela Uzomba, Logistician, Miss. Peace Anekwe and the LGA TA,
Mr. Nnaemeka Ifeabunike, for their invaluable assistance and coordination of ITN campaign
operations at the LGA level.

Finally, I will not forget to acknowledge the selfless contributions made by Nnewi North Cluster
Supervisors, Distribution Hub Supervisors, Mobilization and Distribution Teams, Town
Announcers, and every other person who contributed to the 2022 Anambra State ITN mass
campaign.

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2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

The contents of this report are the sole responsibility of its authors and do not necessarily reflect
the views of the Partnership managing the programme.

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2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

Copyright ©│2022│Idongesit Etukudo

All rights reserved. This report is the intellectual property of its author. This report or any portion
thereof should not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express prior written consent
of the author.

To request permission contact: |idyetukudo@gmail.com or +2348031345533|

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2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

SECTION 2 – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) mass campaign is one of the nationally accepted strategies in
Nigeria to deliver free mosquito nets to the entire population through scaling up ITN coverage
and utilization. The 2022 Anambra State ITN mass campaign is a single-phase door-to-door
exercise; in which household mobilization and ITNs distribution happen simultaneously. The
project received funding from GiveWell Philanthropist, a charity research non-profit
organization based in Oakland, California, United States. Malaria Consortium (MC), the
implementing partner, is an international non-profit organization specializing in malaria control
and other infectious diseases. The campaign utilized a technology-based ITNs mass distribution
to beneficiaries through Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D)
tools and CAT (Cash and Asset Transfer) strategy to increase efficiency, transparency, and
accountability.

Anambra State, sometimes known as the "Light of the Nation," is a Nigerian State located in the
country's southeast. Anambra State is flanked to the west by Delta State, Imo State by the south,
to the east by Enugu State, and the north by Kogi State. The Local Government Area of my
assignment was Nnewi North. Nnewi is the only town in Nnewi North LGA. The one-town
Local Government Area comprises four villages (sub-towns): Otolo, Uruagu, Umudim, and
Nnewi-ichi.

Advocacy visits to LGA Executives, Security Operatives, Community Leaders, and Religious
Leaders were to raise awareness of the ITN mass distribution in the State and foster political
goodwill and support for the ITN Mass campaign. Anambra State Civil Society Organizations
(CSOs) mobilized public support for the ITN campaign to promote social change. They urged
recipients of free Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) in the State to utilize them to prevent mosquito
bites that spread malaria rather than for fishing or grain conservation.

The Household mobilization and ITN distribution took place across the ten (10) Wards that make
up Nnewi North LGA for nine days, with a 300 ITNs distribution daily set target for each
Mobilization and Distribution Team (MDT). The goal of the ITN mass campaign was to ensure
that every two persons received one free bed-net to sleep inside every night, and the State
distributed 3.8 million ITNs to beneficiaries door-to-door across all the 21 LGAs.

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2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

SECTION 3
3.1 Background & Introduction
The ITN mass distribution campaign is one of the country's nationally acknowledged techniques
for providing free nets to the entire population through increasing ITN coverage and utilization.
Insecticidal treated nets (ITNs) mass campaigns have traditionally been paper-based in Nigeria.
In 2017, the Cash and Asset Transfer (CAT) strategy was introduced as part of a global effort to
strengthen ITN mass campaigns. The digitalization of mass distribution of ITNs, ensures process
efficiency, real-time data collecting, and activity tracking, improves campaign personnel
payment, records commodities, maximizes work time, and increases transparency and
accountability of ITN mass campaigns in the country.

As an ICT4D Training and Technology Administrator assigned to provide technical assistant

support in five (5) wards of Nnewi North, I conducted professional required training and
knowledge transfer to campaign ward-level (Cluster Supervisors, Distribution Hub Supervisors,
Household Mobilizers, and ITN Distributors) personnel on IC4DT tools and CAT (Cash and
Asset Transfer) strategy for ITN mass campaigns. Provided tie-1 level real-time troubleshooting
support on android devices during mobilization and distribution activities and follow-up,
facilitated device provision, ICT4D tools distribution to campaign personnel, and managed
inventory databases during the campaign.

To ensure an even ITN distribution in Nnewi North, I designed and implemented field
monitoring and evaluation techniques to monitor MDTs, interpreted GIS information to ward-
level personnel on coverage status, and identified irregularities during mobilization and
distribution activities. In the event of campaign personnel replacement, I tracked changes in
campaign personnel and facilitated due process on the CAT Platform to ensure the transparency
of information authentication.

3.2 Key Activities

The 2022 Anambra State ITN mass campaign is the outcome of microplanning, which remains
one of the most integral aspects of campaign planning for successful ITN mass distribution. It is
critical in the post-COVID-19 pandemic, where local data on access, attitudes, perceptions, and
acceptability of external initiatives should all guide operational strategies and budgets.

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2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

The activities captured on the campaign timeline started with the arrival of the campaign
personnel at the State level, followed by the required training for campaign actors at every level
of campaign processes, device deployment, and operations at the local government and ward
level. The technical activities of the ITN mass campaign are crucial to a technology-based
campaign. These involve training campaign personnel at State, LGA, Ward, and Community
levels on roles and responsibilities during household mobilization and distribution, correct use of
campaign forms/tools, and data harmonization. An ICT4D skilled expert known as a Training
and Technology Administrator ensures quality knowledge transfer and capacity building to
ward-level (Cluster Supervisors, DH Supervisors, Household Mobilizers, ITN Distributors)
personnel on IC4DT tools and CAT (Cash and Asset Transfer) strategy for ITN mass campaigns.

Orientation of media persons, LGA Conveyors, Distribution Hub Conveyors, Town Announcers,
and Distribution Team Securities held at different intervals, followed by campaign jingles and
messages on household mobilization and ITN distribution activity and town announcements in
the State to engage beneficiaries. The logistic workstream managed the transportation of ITNs
from State to LGAs, movement of implementation materials to LGAs, and micro-positioning of
ITNs to distribution hubs. LGA flag-off for the campaign preceded the Household mobilization
and ITNs distribution across the State for 9 to 12 days with Mob up, followed by the departure of
the Campaign Implementation Team from the State.

3.3 Approach and Methodology

The approach of the 2022 Anambra State ITN mass campaign utilizes the door-to-door single-
phase strategy where household mobilization and ITN distribution happen simultaneously.

The ITN campaigns' implementation is guided at every stage by laid-down methodologies and
tools. The selection of trainable campaign personnel at the ward level is accomplished in
collaboration with the Cluster Supervisors and the LGA Team to meet the selection criteria. The
selected personnel received the required professional training on IC4DT tools and CAT (Cash
and Asset Transfer) strategy for ITN mass campaigns. The 3-member team, the Mobilization and
Distribution Team (MDT), comprises the Household Mobilizer/Health Educator, ITN
Distributor/Waste Manager, and Security/Crowd Controller. The MDT is under the direct
supervision of a Distribution Hub Supervisor. Cluster Supervisors created a thorough work plan

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2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

and route map to aid the household mobilization/ITN distribution team in identifying and
reaching beneficiaries.

The MDT carried out the ITN distribution process by identifying a structure occupied by people
(a household) and introducing themselves to a household head with rapid household registration
on a mobile device. Mobilizer provided health education on covid19, malaria, net use, and care
to the beneficiary, and the mobile device determined the number of ITNs for that home based on
the household size. The team completed the process with an appropriate household marking. In
the case of a previously visited household where members were absent, a revisit card designed as
a contact card is carefully and strategically placed at the house to notify beneficiaries of the
team's visit.

3.4 Key Findings & Analysis

The campaign actualized the ITN scale-up and usage across the ten (10) wards of Nnewi North
LGA. Households received free ITNs based on the household size in every visited house during
the ITN distribution. A total of 57 Distribution Hubs where the ITNs were stored were carefully
selected during the micro-planning activity to serve communities that constitute the ten (10)
Wards. MDTs reached one hundred and five (105) settlements with their ITN need target
captured on a campaign micro-plan document (P-3b), and all ITNs received at the LGA from the
State were accounted for with no theft recorded.

The 2022 Anambra State ITN mass campaign reached more than a hundred and fifty thousand
(150,000) beneficiaries and a total of one hundred and forty-two thousand three hundred and
fifty-eight (142,358) ITNs distributed to over ten thousand (10,000) households in Nnewi North
LGA.

More than ninety (90) ward-level personnel (Cluster Supervisors, DH Supervisors, Household
Mobilizers, and ITN Distributors) received quality knowledge transfer and capacity building on
IC4DT tools and CAT (Cash and Asset Transfer) strategy for ITN mass campaigns under the
tutelage of an ICT4D skilled expert known as a Training and Technology Administrator (TTA).

Nnewi North is a mix of densely and sparsely populated settlements. The overpopulated
settlements required a short time to reach beneficiaries as the teams will not have to trek several

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2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

kilometers to get to the next house. The case is not the same for sparely populated settlements as
it required more walk-up time in the distance moving between each household.

Despite the sit-at-home order restraining work and movement on Mondays, which affected the
campaign timeline and extended the campaign duration by more than five (5) days, the 2022
Anambra State ITN mass campaign is the first successful technology-driven ITN mass
distribution campaign. Available findings reveal that it has been more than five (5) years since
the last conducted ITN mass distribution in Anambra State.

3.5 Recommendations & Next Steps

(a) Need for using the actual population not projected to ensure universal coverage.
(b) Cluster Supervisors should review the P-3b document on their first day of training to rectify
any instances of omitted and misplaced settlements before finalization for ITN distribution.
(c) Settlement of communal conflicts with suitable discussions to promote peace with
community stakeholders before ITN distribution promotes a smooth mass campaign.
(d) The remuneration of MDTs is considerably low compared to their responsibilities and is
deemed necessary for review.

3.6 Conclusion
ITN mass campaign aims to reduce the malaria burden to pre-elimination levels while bringing
malaria-related mortality to zero by achieving the goals of registering and delivering ITNs to
every household in each State. It increases net utilization within families and builds the capacity
of campaign personnel at the Community, LGA, and State levels on the benefits, management,
and use of ITNs. A single-phase door-to-door strategy for ITN mass campaign is a solution to the
problem of overcrowding, fights, and stampedes at distribution points, including cases of ITN
theft. The success of this campaign is the revision and changes in campaign implementation
standards to accommodate the nature and peculiarities of Anambra State, as well as efficient
coordination backed by real-time decision-making supported by digital data management.

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2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

ANNEXES

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2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

ANNEX 1: THE TERMS OF REFERENCE

The terms of reference for ICT4D Training and Technology Administrator (TTA) are stated as
follows: -

• Provide training and knowledge transfer to campaign ward-level personnel on IC4DT tools and
CAT (Cash and Asset Transfer) strategy for ITN mass campaign in Anambra State, Nigeria.

• Provide technical support and follow-up on campaign personnel, ensure distribution of ICT4D
tools to campaign personnel in the assigned LGA as per selection criteria, and update device
distribution inventory database upon distribution of devices to campaign personnel.

• Facilitate device provision, distribution, and inventory during the campaign period.

• Provide technical support via tier-1 level real-time troubleshooting support on android devices
during mobilization and distribution activities.

• Implement field monitoring and evaluation techniques to monitor household mobilizers and the
distribution team for the campaign duration.

• Provide and interpret GIS information to ward-level personnel on coverage status and
identification of irregularities during mobilization and distribution activities.

• Track changes of campaign personnel and facilitate the due process on the CAT Platform to
ensure the efficiency of information authentication.

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2022 Anambra State ITN Mass Campaign Report in Nnewi North LGA 21st August 2022

ANNEX 2: LIST OF PEOPLE CONSULTED

During the 2022 Anambra State ITN mass campaign, the were several advocacy visits to the
State executives, local government area chairperson and representatives, security operatives,
community leaders, and religious stakeholders to raise awareness of the exercise in the State,
acceptance, and buy-in at every level, foster political goodwill, and support, for the ITN Mass
campaign.

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