HOIMA | MOSQUITO NETS | FISHING

Residents of Kusukuma sub-county in Hoima district, on the shores of Lake Albert, have been cautioned against using mosquito nets they have received free of charge to fish.

The mosquito nets, which were given to children, pregnant mothers, and elderly persons from over 4,000 households, were distributed by Think Humanity, a non-governmental organization.

The distribution follows a petition by local leaders, led by Steven Murungi Mwijakubi, seeking support in the fight against malaria.

Health care Manager, Think Humanity Pascal Mbajeste in his team preparing give out the Mosquito nets to residents

Speaking during the handover of the nets to the beneficiaries on Saturday at Bukona Primary School, Mwijakubi said last year, they wrote to the organization requesting mosquito nets for the community after realizing increasing malaria cases in the area.

Kusukuma chairperson Yowasi Tabura called on the public to properly use mosquito nets to fight against malaria.

He expressed concern that the Government, a few years ago, supplied nets to the community, but the beneficiaries misused the nets by using them as fishing nets and constructing bathrooms and chicken houses. 

Steven Murungi Mwijakubi while handing over a Mosquito net to the pregnant mother with a child.

Tabura added that sub-county leadership is ready to arrest and punish any beneficiary who will be found using the nets for a purpose it is not intended to do.

“We requested mosquito nets and the construction of water sources in the area to save the community from taking contaminated water from unprotected water sources. "We are happy to inform you that the organization has so far constructed two boreholes in this area, and today we are also receiving the nets,” Mwijakubi said.

He commended Think Humanity for responding to their request, which he said is going to reduce the burden of malaria among children and pregnant mothers and also save their entire community from diseases caused by consuming unsafe waters.

Steven Murungi Mwijakubi while handing over a Mosquito net to the pregnant mother with a child

According to Think Humanity healthcare manager Pascal Mbajeste, their campaign is specifically aimed at eradicating malaria among expectant mothers, children under the age of five, and the elderly.

Without giving the statistics Mbajeste added that this category of people is prone to malaria adding that many children have died and many expectant mothers have miscarriages because of malaria, which calls for mitigation measures.

He said for the first phase, the organization supplied 4,000 free mosquito nets and over 100 Maama Kits, adding that they expect to supply more soon to the areas that have not received them.