10 million people earmarked for free mosquito nets

The government has announced plans to distribute 10 million treated mosquito nets countrywide in a campaign aimed to control the burden of malaria.

Head of the National Malaria Control Programme, Michael Kayange, said on Wednesday that the campaign is aimed at sustaining gains Malawi has made in previous campaigns and further improve utilisation of mosquito nets among citizens.

Kayange made the remarks during a joint press briefing with World Vision International in Lilongwe.

He said malaria remains a major public health threat, with a prevalence rate of 24 percent. This means about six million people suffer from the disease annually.

It is also estimated that at least 3,500 Malawians die from malaria every year.

“[Therefore], from July 1 2018, we are going to do household registration. And we want the media to help us in sensitising communities about the mass malaria campaign because we will be going door-to-door to register beneficiaries. So, it’s only fair that Malawians should know that we will be going into their homesteads to register them for the free distribution of mosquito nets,” Kayange said.

He said the distribution exercise would run from September 1 to November 30 this year.

The Global Fund is the major donor of the mass campaign.

“The Global Fund is providing us with $40 million for the campaign through World Vision International,” Kayange said.

World Vision International Chief of Party, Alexander Chikonga, said one mosquito net will be given to two people per household, adding that they would use government structures.

Chikonga said the campaign will run in three phases and is expected to start from the Southern Region from September 1 to 30; Central Region from October 1 to 31; before taking the campaign to the Northern Region from November 1 to 30 this year.

“We wish to urge traditional and community leaders to mobilise their subjects for registration and collection of the mosquito nets when the distribution exercise starts. They should also sensitise communities to the proper usage of the nets,” Chikonga said