Malaria claims 30 in Gulu since May

 By Arnest Tumwesige

Atleast thirty people in Gulu district have died of malaria since May this year, authorities have said.
John Opwonya, the district malaria focal point person said the deaths were recorded from the beginning of May to the third week of June.

Opwonya added that the weekly reports indicate an increase from 6,298 cases to 9,282 in June.

Statics show that one child in Africa dies every minute from malaria, a mosquito-borne disease that kills an estimated 655,000 people every year. There is currently no vaccine available that offers full protection against it.

 He said the trend is worrying and interventions need to be put in place to control the malaria infection before it becomes a full blown epidemic

Opwonya was speaking at a monthly health coordination meeting on Thursday at the district headquarters.  

Government late last year launched the second phase of indoor residual spraying against malaria causing vectors in 14 more districts in Lango, Bukedi, Teso and Busoga sub regions.