The State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muriuki on Wednesday flagged off the distribution of 759, 105 long lasting treated mosquito nets to benefit Narok people.
The PS said the initiative aimed at curbing malaria cases that accounted for 20 per cent of the hospital admission in the country adding that proper use of the treated mosquito nets has been proven to be effective in reducing malaria cases.
She spoke at the Narok County Referral Hospital premises where she observed that despite malaria being preventable and treatable, it continued to devastate the livelihood of the people and especially those living in rural areas.
“The burden is especially high in rural areas. In the last one year, over 5.4 million malaria cases have been reported in the country with 357, 110 cases being reported in Narok,” she said.
PS Muriuki called on the residents who had registered for nets to collect them in the 640 collection centres located across the eight sub counties.
To enhance human health in the county, the PS reported that 1170 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) had been hired in the county, who help to link the community to the health facilities.
On Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), the PS called on residents to register for the new scheme using USSD code *147# as it would take effect on October 1 this year.
Narok Deputy Governor Tamalinye Koech who represented Governor Patrick Ntutu asked residents to use the nets the right way so that they could be effective.
He assured CHPs that they would receive their dues in the next few days and called on them to continue doing the credible job to boost the health of the residents.
“We are losing so many people because of malaria. If our parents had an opportunity to sleep under such treated mosquito nets, we would have reduced deaths and hospital admissions,” he said.
Elijah Ntokoiwan, a person with disability, thanked the government for distributing the nets free of charge to curb the spread of malaria.
Another resident, Peter Kariuki called on the residents to use the net for the right purpose, warning that some residents use the net for fencing and fishing.
By Ann Salaton
