Pallisa chairman arrested for refusing mosquito spray

HEALTH

PALLISA - Police are holding the Vice LC 1 Chairperson of Oitengia village in Odusai parish in Agule Sub County for allegedly sabotaging the government programme of Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) for malaria.

Cadet Godwiin Mwesigwa, the officer-in-charge Agule Police Station in Pallisa identified the suspect as John Michael Ocwa, a resident of the same village.

"It's true we arrested Ocwa on Friday and detained him in our cells for opposing the Government programme of IRS," Mwesigwa said.

He added that Ocwa refused to spray his home against mosquitoes.

Some area residents who preferred anonymity complained that the insecticide used for spraying their houses causes several diseases including itching when they lean against the walls that have been sprayed.

However, the experts said the insecticide is very safe.

Jane Francis Atuko, the LC-3 Chairperson Agule Sub-County said Ocwa should be charged with another offence of mobilizing the community members to reject IRS programme.

"He has been moving throughout his village advising locals to reject IRS for the reason best known to him," she said.

Atuko noted that the arrest of Ocwa will act as a lesson to the people rejecting the IRS programme.

She called on members of the public to embrace this spraying programme so as to get rid of malaria.

Malaria is Uganda's leading cause of morbidity and mortality. According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), malaria accounts for 25-40% of outpatient visits to health facilities and has historically been responsible for nearly half of inpatient pediatric deaths.