‘Treated nets to save 30,000 kids’
Jul 09, 2003
WIDESPREAD use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) could avert 30,000 infant deaths a year in Uganda, Michael Okia, the senior entomologist with the Malaria Control programme, has said.
WIDESPREAD use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) could avert 30,000 infant deaths a year in Uganda, Michael Okia, the senior entomologist with the Malaria Control programme, has said.
John Eremu reports that Okia said the social and economic benefits of treated nets were enormous and research over the past 20 years shows that the under-five mortality rate in Africa could drop by as much as 20% if the nets were widely used.
“For Uganda, this would mean that if all the current under-fives were sleeping under ITNs, the over 30,000 childhood deaths would be averted each year alone,†Okia said.
Addressing the international students’ conference on malaria control at Makerere University on Tuesday, Okia said ITNs reduce the burden on health workers and health facilities as visits to health centres could be cut by 30% and admission rates by up to 40%.
He said the nets were a good repellant not only to mosquitoes but also other insects.
“Where over 80% of the people in a community use ITNs, there is such a mass killing effect on mosquitoes that the 20% not sleeping under ITNs are also protected,†Okia said.
Ends
John Eremu reports that Okia said the social and economic benefits of treated nets were enormous and research over the past 20 years shows that the under-five mortality rate in Africa could drop by as much as 20% if the nets were widely used.
“For Uganda, this would mean that if all the current under-fives were sleeping under ITNs, the over 30,000 childhood deaths would be averted each year alone,†Okia said.
Addressing the international students’ conference on malaria control at Makerere University on Tuesday, Okia said ITNs reduce the burden on health workers and health facilities as visits to health centres could be cut by 30% and admission rates by up to 40%.
He said the nets were a good repellant not only to mosquitoes but also other insects.
“Where over 80% of the people in a community use ITNs, there is such a mass killing effect on mosquitoes that the 20% not sleeping under ITNs are also protected,†Okia said.
Ends