Registration for mosquito nets in Buganda underway

The registration exercise to give out long lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets to households in 22 districts in central region started today. 

The two day exercise that ends on Sunday is led by the Ministry of Health, as part of the bigger campaign where 24 million nets are being distributed to everyone across the country, to ensure universal coverage as a way of reducing malaria. 

The 22 districts include; Mubende, Bukomansimbi, Butambala, Gomba, Kalangala, Kalungu, Kayunga, Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Luwero, Lwengo, Lyantonde, Masaka, Mityana, Mpigi, Nakaseke, Mukono, Buikwe, Buvuma, Nakasongola, Rakai, and Ssembabule. 

In a statement issued by the behaviour change communications specialist, National Marial Control Program in the Ministry of Health, Rukia Nakamatte, registration will be carried out by Village Health Teams (VHTs) together with LCI chairpersons in peoples' respective homes.

"We call upon the general public to register for the net when a VHT comes to your household. No person will receive a net if not registered," she said. 

In an earlier interview, Dr. Henry Katamba working with the Ministry of Health said the number of mosquito nets a family gets depends on the number of people in the home.   

"We count one net for every two people, but if the home has seven people, then we shall give them four," he said.

Katamba explained that to be registered, a person is supposed to present any form of identification, including national identity card, work place ids/local council cards, birth certificates, driving permits, passports.

"The same form of identification one uses during registration, it is what he or she is expected to present while receiving the mosquito nets," Katamba said.

Waves of registration

This is the fifth registration wave being done under the second universal coverage campaign that the country is undertaking as one of the interventions to reduce mortality and morbidity due to malaria. 

Despite different interventions in place to eliminate the disease, statistics from the Ministry of Health show that malaria is still the leading cause of death in Uganda, accounting for over 27% of deaths.

The statistics also show that Uganda has the world's highest malaria incidence, with a rate of 478 cases per 1,000 populations per year.

This campaign was divided into six waves based on the current malaria prevalence. Each wave has an average of 22 districts.

Districts in the northern, eastern and Karamoja regions have already received their nets in different waves, while distribution of nets in the fourth wave targeting districts in western and south-western region will take place in June.

In the last wave, districts of Kampala and Wakiso will receive their nets in August this year.

Achievements of the first campaign

The first campaign was conducted in 2013/2014 and a total of 23 million bed nets were distributed throughout the country.

According to statement, the campaign had a great impact on people and contributed to a reduction in malaria prevalence from 42% to 19% as indicated in the 2015 Malaria Indicator Survey. 

In populations using mosquito nets, insecticide-treated nets have been shown to reduce all-cause child mortality by about 20%, decreased clinical cases of malaria by about 50%, and severe malaria by 45%.

The overall results show that 3361 (62 %) households of the 5345 achieved universal coverage and were included in the analysis giving a total population of 14,450 individuals. Of these, 11,884 (80.10 %) reported to have slept under an LLIN the night before the survey.