On October 5, 2023, hundreds of households in Jinja City and District missed out on the distribution of mosquito nets by the Ministry of Health. The distribution, which aimed to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality, fell short of expectations.
Mr. Musa Kirikolaki Magumba, a councilor representing Buwenge Town Council, addressed the issue during a district council meeting held on October 10. He noted that 283,766 mosquito nets were expected to benefit 8,153 households. However, the received quantity of mosquito nets was insufficient to cover the entire population, leaving many potential beneficiaries without nets. He appealed to the government for compensation, emphasizing the need for more nets to save lives.
The mosquito nets were distributed as part of a nationwide initiative in collaboration with the Global Fund and Against Malaria Foundation. The goal was to distribute 28.5 million mosquito nets to combat malaria.
In the case of Jinja District, only 157,648 mosquito nets were received out of the expected 283,766. Consequently, households received fewer nets than recommended by the Ministry of Health. For example, a household of eight people received only two mosquito nets instead of the recommended four.
Mr. Ronald Nanga, the secretary for Social Services and a councilor representing Butagaya, highlighted the discrepancy, attributing it to the destruction of mosquito nets in a fire at a private warehouse rented by the National Medical Stores (NMS) in Entebbe. The extent of the damage was under assessment at the time of the incident.
Ms. Ruth Mubezi, a female workers’ councilor, pointed out the alleged failure of Village Health Teams (VHTs) to use smartphones during the distribution process. The VHTs were instructed to utilize smartphones for efficient distribution, but their lack of digital skills resulted in miscalculations and inadequate mosquito net allocation. Some nets were even retained by the VHTs.
Ms. Viola Nanagwe, the female councilor representing Buyengo Town Council, called on the Ministry of Health to recruit VHTs with qualifications and digital skills to avoid such issues in the future.
Malaria remains a significant public health concern in Uganda, with an annual death toll of 70,000 to 100,000 people nationwide. Expectant mothers and children are the most affected, and Uganda ranks third globally in terms of malaria burden, with over 12 million cases reported annually. Health experts emphasize that sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets can reduce the risk of contracting malaria by 60 percent.
