•According to the ministry, Galole is expected to receive 78,853 nets, Bura 102,664 and Garsen 98,487
•Community Health Promoters (CHPs) have been tasked with checking on proper nets use through visits to households.
Image: FILE
The Ministry of Health has begun distributing mosquito nets to households in Tana River in an effort to combat malaria.
The exercise seeks to distribute 280,004 mosquito under the principle of every net for two individuals.
According to the ministry, Galole is expected to receive 78,853 nets, Bura 102,664 and Garsen 98,487.
This is even as the PS Public Health Mary Muthoni warned against sale of the nets by unscrupulous individuals and improper use of the nets by residents or to be kept to wait for visitors
Muthoni has called on the national administration, county and Tana River residents to be vigilant to avert such malpractice.
“I would like to emphasise that the nets are for human use to protect themselves against mosquito bites. Any use contrary of this is highly discouraged,”Muthoni said.
“Let us not use the nets for fishing, or wading off birds from the shambas or protecting chicken and small animals as has been done earlier on,” she warned.
Community Health Promoters (CHPs) have been tasked with checking on proper nets use through visits to households.
Kenya has made progress in combating malaria through the implementation of several interventions including mass net distribution campaigns every three years to households.
Free routine distribution of nets to pregnant women and children under one year at all public health facilities (child welfare clinics and antenatal clinics) country wide has also been accelerated.
The effort has seen a reduction in the prevalence of malaria by more than 50 per cent and a significant decrease in the number of new malaria cases in the last decade.
In Africa, three countries have eliminated Malaria; Algeria, Mauritius and Cape Verde.
Kenya has adopted the World Health Organisation strategy of doing mass long lasting insecticidal treated nets (LLIN) campaign every three years in-order to set Kenya in the path towards elimination of malaria.
The ministry has also continued to provide prompt malaria diagnosis and treatment through microscopy and the use of quality-assured malaria rapid diagnostic test kits and medicines throughout all public and faith-based health facilities. Testing and treatment for malaria is free.
“Despite the tremendous investment in malaria, the uptake of malaria interventions at the community and household levels remains below target,” Muthoni said.
The current prevalence of malaria in the country is at six percent.
Lake endemic, highlands epidemic-prone, coastal and some parts of the country still have higher prevalence of malaria with the ministry identifying 22 key counties with high burden where 15,297,014 nets are being distributed.
The main aim is to ensure all households living in malaria-risk areas have one net for every two household members that will ultimately contribute towards reducing the burden of malaria in the country.