Yasin Kironde
12 November 2009
Kampala — THE insecticide-treated mosquito nets sent to Nakasongola district for sell at a subsidised price have not been sold, the district health inspector, Moses Ziwa, has said.
"Our people claim they are so poor to afford the nets. All the nets that were sent to the district to be sold at sh8,000 each are still in the stores," Ziwa said.
He said the people of Nakasongola needed free mosquito nets to appreciate their importance.
Ziwa was speaking at the hand over of 5,000 insecticide treated mosquito nets, worth sh50m, to the African Medical Research Foundation.
The nets, given to the foundation for distribution, were procured by Tana Nets and Quality Chemicals
Victoria Brown, the foundation's project manager, urged district leaders to emphasise the prevention of malaria.
"The most important bit in the fight against malaria is prevention. When you prevent, then you can control. Once malaria is controlled, then we can see more people engaged in productive activities, which reduce poverty," Brown said.
The nets will be given to children below seven years and pregnant mothers in Nakasongola free of charge.
Quality Chemicals marketing director George Baguma said the nets were reliable and can protect people from mosquito bites.
"The nets will be a barrier preventing the mosquitoes from reaching you. They are treated with repellants and insecticide that will scare the mosquitoes away," he said.
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