Budaka residents say distributed mosquito nets not enough

PIC: Residents of Namusita subparish receiving insecticide-treated mosquito nets at Namusita Primary School in Kakuru subcounty, Budaka district. (Credit: Noah Jagwe)

A number of locals in Budaka district say the insecticide-treated mosquito nets being distributed among them are not enough.

The distribution is part of a nationwide anti-malaria campaign by the government.

"They give a net to two people to share in a family of over ten people," said Alex Mulebeke, the sub-parish chief Namusita parish in Budaka.

"They are only giving a few - like five family members only get three nets."

He said most families have members of both sexes who don't sleep in the same bed and so the idea of sharing a mosquito net is unwelcome.

"I think they should consider giving each person a net. People can't share," reasoned Mulebeke.

The mosquito nets distribution is one of the interventions undertaken by the government to reduce morbidity and mortality due to malaria from 42% to 19% by the year 2020.

In the second phase of the drive, Budaka areas like Nagururu with 191 households of as many as 1000 residents benefitted.

Others that registered include Lipipi, Namusi and Bugoya.

A total of 24 million nets will be distributed countrywide by the Ugandan government, according to the minister of state for health Sarah Opendi.

"We hope to achieve a net cover of one net for every two people in a household," she said in a statement.

The minister said the campaign seeks to protect 85% of the population at risk through recommended malaria prevention measures by the end of 2017.

Locals have welcomed the move, saying it will help them save the money they would have otherwise used for treating malaria.

Victoria Namugwere, the Budaka district health educator, said if the locals embrace the use of treated insecticide nets the threat of the disease will reduce.

The current malaria prevalence in the district stands at 35% which Namugwere described as a big population to be still affected by malaria.

"Malaria is a big health threat to the government, and there is a need for interventions like this."