Dr Atwine flags off trucks transporting free mosquito nets to 25 districts

The Ministry of Health has launched the distribution exercise of free mosquito nets across the country. The exercise will start next week until the end of the year.

So far, only 4.5 million mosquito nets out of the 27 million have been procured. The first batch will be distributed in 25 districts that were hit most by floods around Lake Kyoga and in districts with high prevalence rate of malaria.

The districts are Namutumba, Paliisa, Bukwo, Dokolo, Lira, Soroti, Kween and Kibuku. Others are Bududa, Budaka, Mbale, Serere and Namisindwa districts among others.

Dr Diana Atwine, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health says that the Global Fund and the United States government contributed 446.8 billion shillings to procure and distribute the nets.

The distribution was supposed to take place in February but was delayed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Atwine said that the ministry has tasked NMS to handle the procurement, storage and transportation of the mosquito nets because of its capacity to reach the entire country.

According to Atwine, the mosquito nets will be distributed door to door by the Village Health Teams assisted by local area leaders.

Jimmy Opigo, the Assistant Commissioner for Health Services at the National Malaria Control Division says malaria kills between 14 to 16 people daily, resulting in 4,000 deaths annually.