The government intends to induct Community Health Volunteers (CHV) ahead of the mass distribution campaign of about 15.3 million treated insecticide nets as campaigns against malaria intensify.
The issuance of Long-Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLITNs) is among other interventions that the government has put in place against malaria transmission.
These measures include vector control, prompt management of cases, and the recent introduction of the malaria vaccine.
This programme is being supported and funded by the Ministry of Health, USAID, the Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI), and Afya Ugavi, among other partners, as part of the Kinga Malaria project.
Homa Bay Sub-county Health Promotion Officer Mr. Charles Okatch said Homa Bay County is set to receive about 600,000 mosquito nets.
He said the LLITNs are an improvement over the previous ones as they are more durable and effective against mosquitoes.
“These improvements will make them more durable and effective than ever before in terms of eliminating mosquitoes,” he said.
He said that before the distribution exercise, which is slated for late November, the department will conduct a registration exercise at the household level with the help of Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) and the village elders.
“This is the reason why we have held a two-day training for the CHVs and the village elders who will help with the mass registration,” he noted.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting in Homa Bay, he said registration for the nets will take place after the training is completed, that is, within the next two weeks, for five days.
Mr. Okatch noted that the launch of the LLITNs will be conducted on November 17 before they are distributed.
Malaria prevalence in Homa Bay is at 3.6 per cent, a reduction as a result of interventions by the Ministry of Health such as the management of cases and the spraying of households, among others.
The health officer said that even though the prevalence rate has reduced, the region still remains within the lake region endemic zone.
Mr. Okatch encouraged the area residents at the household level to ensure they set aside time to register for the nets, adding that those who are not registered will not be given the nets.
The requirements for registration are an identity card and a phone number, after which those registered will be allocated a net for every two people at the household level.
By Sitna Omar
