ASSESSMENT OF AWARENESS, ACCEPTABILITY AND USE OF INSECTICIDE TREATED NETS (ITNS) IN TOTO TOWN AND ENVIRONS OF NASARAWA STATE

This study examined the level of awareness, acceptability and use of ITNs in Toto town and its environs in Nasarawa State as a strategy for eradicating malaria disease. The major data source was primary. A 32 item questionnaire was administered to 120 households in 12 settlements in the study. Simple descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data. The study findings reveals that majority (89.2% ) of the respondents had knowledge of malaria as a disease, use mosquito nets as the only means of preventing malaria(65%).Majority (97.5%) were aware of mosquito nets and 81.6% uses ITNs,89.2% sleep under ITN while 71.7% use ITNs only in the night. Those who do not use nits attributed it to unavailability, side effects like heat generation, bad dreams and affordability. Majority (61.7%) of the respondents felt ITNs are better than ordinary nets. 78.3% of the respondents see the function of ITNS as to repel and kill mosquito when they come in contact with it. The study recommended government and NGOs should intensity effort of free donation of INTS, public enlightenment campaign should be intensified to contradict falsehood about INTS, and all community should be considered in the distribution of ITNS.