VHTs directed to follow up expectant mothers

Village health teams (VHT) In Busia have been directed to follow up expectant mothers up to their bedroom to ensure that they sleep under mosquito nets.

The area resident district commissioner Kennedy Adhola Otiti said the move was aimed at reducing the number of expectant mothers and infant dying of malaria.

The RDC consequently ordered that VHT's should visit the homes of expectant mothers in their villages check the bedrooms to ascertain that they sleep under mosquito nets given to them free at the health facilities.

"In health matters there is no invading into privacy so nobody should complain," Otiti said adding that whoever tries to introduce privacy in health matters would be breaking the law.

He said pregnant mothers found without nets or not using them will have to explain why they haven't gone to health facilities to get and what is hindering them to use the nets.

Malaria, according to district medical authorities is leading killer of expectant mothers and infants in the district.

He was on Tuesday addressing expectant mothers who each got a free mosquito net at Busia health center four in Busia town.

The 18,000 nets were handed over to the district by PACE donated 18000 under the presidential malaria initiative.

Health facilities that offer immunization and antenatal service services benefited from the donation and were directed to give them out free of charge to expectant mothers.

Otiti said the follow up by health village teams was meant to ascertain the beneficiaries put the nets to right use.

He said in the past mothers have been using mosquito nets to trap white ants.  He cautioned health workers against selling the nets to the beneficiaries noting that those implicated would be arrested and prosecuted.

Otito also appealed to the mothers to report the health workers that sell the mosquito nets.