- Kombo said the exercise will be conducted across the county and includes the distribution of 560,000 treated nets to 165,000 households.
- County Commissioner Orinde emphasised the need for households to take advantage of the nets distribution exercise.
The Kwale county government has started distributing free insecticide-treated bed nets to vulnerable households in the coastal county to help fight the spread of malaria.
Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female anopheles mosquitoes, however, it is preventable and curable.
Deputy Governor Chirema Kombo who launched the distribution of mosquito nets said the bed nets are expected to protect residents from mosquito bites that serves as the vector responsible for malaria transmission.
Kombo accompanied by county commissioner Stephen Orinde and Health executive Francis Gwama said the goal is to encourage everyone to sleep inside the treated nets especially the malaria vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children under five years.
During the flagging off exercise Kombo said the Fatuma Achani-led county government will work to increase access to treated nets to vulnerable households and guarantee the wellbeing of residents.
He said malaria was a major killer disease in Kenya and constituted a significant public health problem, adding that the distribution exercise became imperative owing to the high rate of malaria infections caused by mosquitoes in the country.
Kombo said the exercise will be conducted across the county and includes the distribution of 560,000 treated nets to 165,000 households.
“Kwale county government will be waging a total war against malaria in the communities to enhance the health of residents,” he said adding that the county government would not back-pedal on its efforts towards sensitisation and awareness campaign against malaria.
The DG said the county government in collaboration with the national government is aiming at distributing the mosquito nets in every village across the county with the help of ward administrators, chiefs and their assistants and community health promoters to make ensure every household has received.
“The main objective of the nets distribution programme is to curtail the spread of malaria which for decades has had adverse socio-economic effects on residents,” he said adding that the elimination of malaria depended on contributions and support from all.
He said Kwale is among the 28 counties nationwide burdened by malaria and disclosed that the devolved unit will push for a 100 per cent coverage for net distribution and usage by the vulnerable population.
Kombo said malaria remains a public health problem in the country that can be prevented and cured through collaborative efforts such as sleeping under treated bed nets.
He said the county has started distributing the treated nets as part of its malaria prevention strategy especially during this long rainy season because it’s usually the peak malaria transmission period.
County Commissioner Orinde emphasised the need for households to take advantage of the nets distribution exercise.
The county administrator expressed the national government’s commitment to preventative healthcare and called for proper net usage to break the malaria transmission cycle.
He called on members of the public to judiciously use the mosquito nets given to them and to stop converting them to other improper uses.
Orinde said the treated net distribution campaign was a national effort spearheaded by the Ministry of Health to provide enough lifesaving nets to Kenyans so that they may be protected from the deadly disease.