The National Government through National Malaria Control Program with support from partners including Global funds, USAID PMI and County Government convened together stakeholders to a net distribution campaign forum in preparation for a mass distribution of treated nets to all households in the County.
Malaria remains a public health and socio-Economic problem in Kenya, with three quarters of the population at risk of the disease.
Moreover, the burden of the disease varies across the country, therefore, the National Malaria Policy, The Kenya Malaria Strategy (KMS), provides a framework and a road map for guiding the response to the malaria burden in Kenya.
Dr. David Korir, Deputy Director, Preventive and Promotive in the Ministry of Health, said the objective of the Kenya Malaria Strategy (KIM) 2019-2023 aims at protecting 100 per cent of people living in malaria risk areas.
“This is where the mass net distribution is anchored. The county malaria prevalence rate stands at 4.1 % that is the confirmed malaria cases per 1000 population,” Dr. Korir said.
The distribution of long-lasting insecticide nets (LLIN) aims at reducing malaria infection, achieving Universal Health Coverage (UVC) which is defined as (1:2) one (1) net for (2) people and increasing household net ownership.
“Ownership of households of at least (1) LLIN increased from 54.4% in 2010 to 91.7% in 2012 and 93% in 2017.Therefore, the County is aiming to distribute a total of 732,600 nets to all her citizens in 287,215 households,” Korir said.
The County Malaria Coordinator, Dr. Mike Mwasame, said the campaign is divided into four stages namely the preparatory stage, registration, distribution of nets and post distribution, which will be used to sensitize stakeholders and households on what is happening, why is happening, when is happening, what they need to do and how to get about doing it.
The target of long-lasting Insecticide Net for distribution in Kenya is 15.7% for the 2021 campaign in 27 counties including Uasin Gishu.
The targeted population to be protected is approximately 27 million countrywide, while the County has a population of 1.2 million targeted for protection.
Dr. Mwasame said household registration will be conducted by community health volunteers (CHV) and elders through house-to-house strategy both manually and electronically.
“At the distribution point, the household head/representative will identify themselves with the national ID and be verified by the village elder as a measure to avoid people getting more than intended to make it reach a larger population,” said Dr. Mwasame
The community should recognise malaria as a great but solvable problem through prevention including use of LLINs. The community should hang and sleep under the nets every night of every season.
By Hassan Adan Ali and Judy Too
