At least 36,000 people in Buliisa district missed the government mosquito nets, which were recently distributed in order to fight malaria in the country.
Dr. Robert Mugabe, the District Health Educator (DHE) in Buliisa, told our reporter Wednesday evening that they received a smaller number of mosquito nets from the Ministry of Health compared to what they had projected.
According to Mugabe, they had a gap of 18,000 mosquito nets, so 36,000 people missed. He also stressed that some people complained of receiving fewer mosquito nets and thus insisted that it wasn’t their problem, but they distributed what was delivered from the health ministry.
He also said that ten bales of mosquito nets went missing in Kihungya Sub County and one went missing in Biiso Sub County, thus losing 440 mosquito nets before the distribution dates. Each bale contains 40 mosquito nets.
The health educator stresses that currently they don’t have hope of receiving other mosquito nets within the shortest time to serve the people who missed them, unless otherwise stated.
Mugabe asserted that they are now looking at the post-effects of the distribution and use of mosquito nets. He said they have realized that people have started misusing the mosquito nets, citing an example of a woman she found early this week using the newly distributed mosquito net to trap white ants.
Dr. Mugabe said that the issue of the stolen bale of mosquito nets is being investigated by the police.
Buliisa district received 69,560 mosquito nets from the Ministry of Health, and distribution was done at the parish level.
DONDO ALLAN
INNOCENT ATUGANYIRA
