PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND MALARIA CONTROL: EXAMINING THE ROLE OF INSECTICIDE-TREATED NET ACCEPTANCE AND UTILIZATION AMONG RESIDENTS OF OGBADIBO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract Malaria remains a major public health challenge in rural communities across sub-Saharan Africa, with its control largely dependent on the effectiveness of public administration systems responsible for planning, implementing, and monitoring health interventions. This study examined the role of insecticide-treated net (ITN) acceptance and utilization in malaria control among residents of Ogbadibo Local Government Area (LGA), Benue State, Nigeria, within the context of public administration and health governance. A correlational research design was adopted for the study. The target population comprised 115,809 adult residents of Ogbadibo LGA, from which a sample of 399 respondents was selected using the Taro Yamane (1969) formula and a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected through a structured and validated questionnaire, while reliability coefficients obtained using Cronbach’s Alpha ranged from 0.80 to 0.86. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was employed to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that acceptance of ITNs had a significant positive relationship with malaria control (r = 0.395, p < 0.05), while utilization of ITNs also demonstrated a significant positive relationship with malaria control (r = 0.360, p < 0.05). These results suggest that increased community acceptance and consistent household utilization of ITNs contribute substantially to reducing malaria prevalence and improving public health outcomes. The study concludes that the success of malaria control programmes at the local government level depends significantly on the extent to which communities accept and utilize ITNs. It recommends that public administrators and health policymakers strengthen community engagement, culturally sensitive awareness campaigns, and accountability mechanisms to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of malaria control interventions in rural Nigeria.