Police arrests seven health workers for alleged diversion of mosquito nets in Gombe

At least seven staff of Primary Healthcare Departments in Kwami and Billiri local government areas of Gombe State have been arrested by police for alleged diversion of 5,450 Insecticides Treated Nets (ITNs) in the state.

The state government had in collaboration with the Global Fund, the Catholic Relief Services and the National Malaria Elimination Programme released the ITNs for distribution to people in different communities in the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru, who disclosed this at a news conference in Gombe on Saturday, said the suspects were arrested on September 10.

Dahiru said that the ITNs were meant to reduce the burden of malaria, especially among the most vulnerable groups – women and children in Gombe State.

He lamented that the nets were criminally diverted for selfish reasons.

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The commissioner said: “The arrest of the suspects was made possible by personnel charged with the responsibility of keeping an eye on the process to ensure that the nets do not slip into the wrong hands.

“They were tipped by an informant that the nets were loaded in a truck in one of the markets in Gombe with the intent of diverting them.

“Following this development, the police operatives were alerted immediately and the vehicles conveying the nets were impounded.

“Marketers who were to take delivery of the nets were arrested and their co-conspirators identified as well.’’

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