Kitgum district to ration mosquito nets

Kitgum, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Several households in Kitgum District have missed out on the distribution of the Long-Lasting Insecticide Treated nets from the Health Ministry in the ongoing campaign. 

This came as the numbers of people meant to benefit from the Mosquito nets surpassed the number of mosquito nets delivered by the Health Ministry.

Kitgum District received 154,000 mosquito nets from the Health Ministry to be distributed to 338,178 people captured earlier during microplanning exercise in 22 sub-counties.

However, Patrick Ocaya, the district operation supervisor in charge of mosquito nets distribution says a validation exercise conducted captured 363,632 people as beneficiaries, an excess of 25,454 people above the micro-planning figure.

Ocaya made the revelation while presenting activity reports on the mosquito net distribution to the district Malaria Taskforce on Friday in Kitgum Municipality.

He says the mosquito nets allocated by the Health Ministry was based on microplanning figures carried out by the Village Health Teams-VHTs, LCI’s and Sub-County Chairpersons.

Ocaya says the data discrepancies forced the team to ration the nets down from five nets which each registered person was to receive to help combat malaria.

He adds that they had to borrow six extra bales from Lamwo district to compensate soldiers at Pajimo Army barracks which had also been omitted from the microplanning figure.

Ocaya faulted the local leaders in the villages and sub-county for what he described as data doctoring for selfish interests which greatly affected the Health Ministry planning for mosquito nets distribution.

In his report, he also disclosed that 35 pieces of Mosquito nets were recovered after being stolen by an LCI Chairperson in Israel village in Lolwa Parish in Orom Sub-county.

John Bosco Komakech, Kitgum District Malaria Focal Point Person acknowledges the data discrepancies in the ingoing net distribution in an interview with Uganda Radio Network in an interview on Friday.

He says the excess population could be among residents who had not been captured earlier during micro-planning exercise due to their negative opinion about the nets, those who were away in farmlands and those who have recently returned home for festive holidays.

Kitgum District Internal Security Officer David Aisu says there is a need to strengthen sensitization among the lower local government leaders and village chairpersons on the need to provide accurate data for proper planning.

He also promised that security will take up the investigation into the alleged theft of 35 mosquito nets by the area LCI Chairperson of Israel village in Orom Sub-county.

The government intends to distribute 27.5 Million Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLINs) throughout the country to fight malaria, one of the country’s leading causes of death.

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