Despite Makueni County falling under the low-risk malaria zone in the country, some cases have been reported in Kibwezi East and Mukaa Sub-counties.
According to the health officials in the county, those who were at risk were children and pregnant mothers in the affected areas.
Consequently, the residents in the affected areas were asked to sleep under treated nets, and clear bushes and stagnant water near their houses during the rainy season so as to avoid the mosquitoes breeding there.
“Even though Makueni is a low-risk malaria zone, I urge all residents to close windows by 6.30pm, sleep under treated nets and clear bushes and stagnant water near their houses,” said the Makueni County Health Promotion Officers Bretta Mutisya while speaking to KNA in her Wote Office at the Makueni County Referral Hospital on Monday.
While saying the Department of Health had no plans to Mark this year’s Malaria Day, she disclosed that her officers were sensitizing Wananchi in all the health facilities in the county.
However, there was no data provided to show the trend of the disease over the years in the county.
On his part, the County Malaria Coordinator Mr. Stanslus Ndeto said medics have taken measures to ensure proper malaria management and testing of all suspected cases according to the national guidelines.
Ndeto also said he believes that through entomology (scientific study of insects), there would be reduction of the population of infecting mosquitoes.
“This is a way of having genetically modified mosquitoes which are used to compete with others in order to reduce or control the increase of infectious mosquitoes,” said Ndeto while speaking to KNA at his office at the hospital.
By Lilian Mueni and Faith Mwende
