Government mosquito nets sold at UGX 1000 in Napak

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The insecticide-treated mosquito nets that were distributed by the government are being sold on the open market in Napak district, for as low as 1,000 Shillings. Many of those selling the nets are using the money to buy alcohol.

The government recently launched a campaign dubbed under the net, through which it intended to distribute up to 27.5 million Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLINs) as part of the interventions against malaria. The disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality and accounts for over 30 percent of outpatient visits and 20 percent of hospital admissions.

In total, the government spent up to USD 120 million Shillings to procure the nets, a campaign funded by the Global Fund and the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF).

Napak district, listed among the 24 districts that would receive the nets during the last phase of the campaign received 127,160 long-lasting treated mosquito nets distributed to 5,583 registered households. The other districts are Busia, Buyende, Iganga, Jinja, Kaliro, Kamuli, Kapelabyong, Kiryandongo, Kwania, Luuka, Masindi, Mayuge, Namayingo, Buliisa, Bugweri, Abim, Amudat, Kaboong, Kotido, Moroto, Nabilatuk, Karenga, and Bugwere.

But according to the Napak Resident District Commissioner Hajji Kaddunabbi Lubega, most of the nets distributed to the community have been sold. He says that some of the nets sold by locals have been sent to Kampala.

Although no one has been arrested for selling or buying the mosquito nets, the RDC says that his team will conduct impromptu visits to households to find out those who could have sold their mosquito nets.

Timothy Teko, the malaria focal point person for Napak district says that besides the sale, there is a lot of misuse of mosquito nets by the community. He notes that residents have turned the government mosquito nets into the grass for thatching their huts, building chicken coops and safeguarding their crops among others.

Hope Peace Atuhaire, an official from the Ministry of Health ‘Under the Net’ campaign stated that there are many small grass-thatched houses commonly known as Manyattas where locals have used mosquito nets for building. Atuhaire said they also observed that only a few people had beds to help them tuck in the nets at night.

According to a report from Napak district health office, malaria accounts for 40 percent of deaths in children below five years.

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