The Ministry of Health in conjunction with World Health Organization (WHO) is set to distribute 673,000 long lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets to over 300,000 households to scale down prevalence of Malaria in Trans Nzoia County.
Trans Nzoia County Malaria Coordinator Mr. Philip Bett made the revelation when he briefed the press at Kitale School where he received a consignment of the mosquito nets on Thursday morning.
The mosquito nets cargo will be housed at the school, waiting to be moved to various designated drop off points in villages spread in all the five sub counties.
“Today we have received a consignment of 673,000 mosquito nets donated by the World Health Organization and other partners which will be distributed to all households across Trans Nzoia County,” disclosed Bett.
According to the malaria coordinator the health department had already registered all the households and human population set to benefit from the mosquito nets.
“The mapping and registering process was successfully conducted by village elders and Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) led by teams of health officers,” said Bett.
In order to ensure all households are covered during distribution exercise, the officer said a single treated net would be issued to two individuals on average.
“This distribution formula would enable us achieve hundred per cent reach to households within the County unlike in the last mass distribution exercise in 2017 in which we attained 90 per cent,” noted Bett.
He added the actually distribution exercise will be conducted in about two weeks from now.
“The main aim of this mass distribution of mosquito nets programme is to continue scaling down malaria prevalence in the county,” remarked Bett.
He noted the county had witnessed steady decline of malaria prevalence since 2011 when the Ministry of Health and her partners embarked on mass distribution of the treated nets.
According to official health data, malaria prevalence was now at 18 per cent in peak periods, between April and July and eight per cent during low periods between the months of September to March.
“Before then the prevalence was at 35 per cent in the county,” noted the Malaria Coordinator, adding besides Trans Nzoia, the programme was running in 26 other counties classified under high malaria burden areas in the county.
He expressed gratitude to WHO and other key partners, including Global Fund, USAID’s Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
By Maurice Aluda
