The Ministry of Health wants local government leaders to enact by-laws on the misuse of mosquito nets, if Uganda’s fight against malaria through the use of mosquito nets is to yield more fruits.
The ministry and partners have for years, undertaken campaigns and projects to distribute insecticide-treated mosquito nets, but some beneficiaries still misuse them to fence off their gardens, poultry farms, use them for fishing among other forms of misuse.
While meeting District Health Officers-DHOs and political leaders from Ankole sub region on August 29, 2023 in Mbarara city, Dr. Diana Atwine who is the Health Ministry Permanent Secretary noted that this year 2023, the government with support from global fund and against malaria foundation is distributing 28.5 million nets, with the overall aim of reducing malaria morbidity through achieving universal coverage with mosquito nets.
She asked leaders to enact by-laws fighting the misuse of mosquito nets since Uganda is ranked third in Africa in terms of malaria disease burden, behind Nigeria and Democratic Republic of Congo.
World Health Organization-WHO May 23, 2023 statistics also confirm that Uganda has the world’s highest malaria incidence rate of 478 cases per 1,000 people per year. It is also the leading cause of sickness and death in Uganda and is responsible for up to 40 percent of all outpatient visits, 25 percent of hospital admissions and 14% all hospital deaths.
The malaria death rate in Uganda is estimated to be between 70,000 and 100,000 deaths per year; a toll that exceeds that of HIV/AIDS. The average economic loss in Uganda due to malaria annually is over $500 million. In 2021, WHO reported that there were an estimated of 13 million malaria cases and over 19,600 estimated deaths in the country.
