Gulu District Health Department has received 34,000 pieces of Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets to boost the fight against malaria that has been on the increase for months now.
The nets were procured by Strengthening Decentralization System (SDS) with funding from USAID.
Since April this year, the health facilities in Gulu have recorded 70 deaths, 559 severe cases, 8,340 in pregnant women and 133,487 infections recorded.
Dr Robert Ongom, the District Health Officer (DHO) says they will target children under Five and expectant mothers who are the most affected category.
“A combination of interventions such as consistent use of insecticide treated mosquito nets, clearing bushes and Indoor Residual Spray (IRS) will yield results,” He said.
The DHO says the treated mosquito nets will be supplied to specific health facilities before they are handed to pregnant women who go to seek antenatal services at the health clinic.
Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the District LCV Chairperson says they will ask the Ministry of Health to procure more nets in the coming days.
Mapenduzi noted that because of the government argument not to resume indoor residual spray, mosquito nets may offer some kind of relief to the affected communities.
Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Director Medical Services who visited Gulu a month ago says the government cannot embark on IRS because of the high costs involved in undertaking the preventive measure.
Gulu registers 7,421 malaria cases per week.
The 2013 performance report by Gulu district health department indicates that Malaria reduced from 69 percent in 2009 to 9 percent in 2013 due to IRS.
