Involve traditional leaders to combat malaria - Kadaga
Apr 24, 2014
The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has called upon health experts and ministry of health officials to involve cultural leaders in the fight against malaria.
By Francis Emorut
The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has called upon health experts and ministry of health officials to involve cultural leaders in the fight against malaria.
The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has called upon health experts and ministry of health officials to involve cultural leaders in the fight against malaria.
“How often have you used traditional leaders in the fight against malaria?” Kadaga asked.
The Speaker reminded health experts, MPs and ministry of health officials that in the past traditional systems were strong and whenever a campaign about hygiene was mounted, the communities responded well to the advice of traditional leaders.
She noted the country needs healthy productive and educated people and therefore, health experts cannot afford to ignore the importance of traditional leaders.
“Involve traditional leaders as partners in the fight against malaria and not partners in Kampala,” Kadaga advised.
She was speaking during the breakfast meeting at Kampala Serena Hotel to commemorate the World Malaria Day that is scheduled to take place Friday in Mubende.
The breakfast meeting was organized by Malaria Consortium.
This year’s theme is “Small bite big threat.”
“Let’s talk of partners in the villages and not RDCS and those in Kampala in the fight against malaria.”
The Speaker cited Botswana which has a strong traditional system and as a result service delivery is well monitored and appealed to health experts and ministry of health officials to borrow a leaf from it.
On use of mosquito nets to combat the disease, the Speaker urged government to use that money for other services because the former was not attainable.
She argued that some people use mosquito nets as gowns during weddings and for fishing and therefore, its objective is not achieved.
“You rather use that money for other services rather than buying mosquito nets,” she said
The director general of health services, Dr. Ruth Achieng had informed the audience that government has so far distributed mosquito nets to 71 districts.
She said the exercise has been successful and only 41 districts are left to complete the process of giving out 21million nets.
The country representative of WHO, Dr. Wondimagegnehu Alemu stressed the need to rapid scale up of all interventions to combat malaria scourge.