Students in boarding schools will not get mosquito nets

As government continue with mass distribution of mosquito nets across the country, students in boarding schools and patients admitted in hospitals will not be given long lasting treated mosquito nets.

This was disclosed by Prosy Naiga, an official from ministry of health who is also serving Masindi district supervisor for mass mosquito nets distribution during a meeting with district leaders that was held at Masindi district health offices board room on Tuesday 4th April 2017.

Naiga said that, convents and army barracks will be given mosquito nets depending on information availed by the heads of such institutions. "Police officers' houses are easily accessible by Village Health Teams who are going to collect data.

The police officers will therefore receive long lasting treated mosquito nets like any other ordinary Ugandans", adding that, the theme for third phase distribution where Masindi falls is "Chase malaria, sleep under treated mosquito nets every night".

Naiga disclosed that, the meeting with district leaders was one of the activities for mass campaign for distribution of long lasting mosquito nets scheduled to last for one month.

"Other activities will include training of trainers both at the district and sub counties, mobilization of teams, mapping and registration of households and collection of data.

The key people here include the parish chiefs, local council one Chairpersons and the VHTs who will all be trained before registration starts", she explained.

Geoffrey Semwa from Malaria Consortium who is working as Masindi district coordinator for mass campaign of distribution of mosquito nets assured participants that, all stakeholders will be facilitated during the campaigns with money secured from Global Fund under supervision of Church of Uganda.

Mark Tivu, the chief administrative officer Masindi district local government hailed the government of Uganda for procuring more mosquito nets to be distributed to citizens at no cost because malaria has negatively affected the health of the people hence reducing their productivity.

He however cited two general phenomena among the people of Bunyoro; the first one being resistance of government programs like that of mass net distribution and immunization hence a need to have an approach to convince them to accept because their reasons like mosquito nets create heat are not scientific.

Tivu however wondered why students in boarding schools were left out and demanded to know the basis. "The other time when I was at Kabalega SSS, I got several students suffering from malaria and I beg that they are also put under consideration", he pleaded.

Dr. John Turyagaruka, the Masindi district health officer believes that, the mechanism by which students in boarding schools sleep on deck beds is complicated but means would have been devised to have them catered for.

In his response to the issue of leaving out boarding students, Semwa said clarified that, mass campaign for distribution of long lasting mosquito nets is supplementary because expectant mothers are always given free mosquito nets in addition to private sector selling mosquito nets too.

Edgar Murutu, a supervisor for mass campaign for distribution of long lasting mosquito nets in Miirya Sub County on the other hand believes that, students in boarding schools will not be left out during data collection exercise at household level. "When VHTs ask for a number of members of house hold, those who are at school should not be left out", Murutu analyzed.

The secretary for health Masindi district local government, Titus Ariyo emphasized that, much as government is giving out free mosquito nets to Ugandans, other prevention measures like clearing breeding places for mosquitoes, going to bed early among others should not be neglected.

In his closing remarks, the area LCV chairman, Cosmas Byaruhanga stated that, much as malaria is a common disease, it has remained a big burden to the country. "Malaria is everywhere and attacking everybody and as we talk of middle income country, we may not achieve it if the disease is not properly managed", adding that, "when you call people to register they do not come but when you call them to come and pick mosquito nets, even those who did not register come in big numbers", the district boss observed.

Byaruhanga also said that, it is hard to register people in urban areas because people live in houses enclosed with wall fences and most of them leave their homes very early for duty leaving their homes unattended to.