Kamuli/Palissa — In a bid to control the out brake of Malaria in the district of Kamuli and Palissa both in Eastern Uganda Red Cross has started distributing mosquito nets.

In this effort URC has already distributed 6 000 mosquito nets to expectant mothers in Kamuli and Pallisa districts respectively.

The long lasting treated mosquito nets will protect the unborn and mother from mosquito bites that cause malaria.

The beneficiaries are in Balawoli and Namasagali Sub Counties in Kamuli; Putiputi and Kasodo Sub Counties in Pallisa. Each of the districts received 3, 000 nets. The mosquito nets which costed the organization about UGX130m were funded by Danish Red Cross who is a long time partner of URCS.

The distribution of the mosquito nets is part of URCS' Malaria Control programme aimed at increasing social mobilization and access to health services to reduce morbidity and mortality from malaria.

The Senior Programme Manager Community Based Health Morris Ayikanying says assessments indicate in Kamuli over 18, 000 and Pallisa 17, 000 among pregnant women, children below 5 years and People Living with HIV/AIDs. Need the nets but they cannot afford to buy them on the open market because of the high level of poverty in the community

Ayikanying asked the recipients of the nets to use them wisely he noted that some people in the community have tendency of misusing mosquito nets

"Ladies don't allow you husbands to use mosquito nets as fishing nets this will affect our effort to fight malaria among the expectant mothers in the two districts,"he said.

He also asked other development partners to join the Danish redress by donating both funds and mosquito nets to Uganda Red cross such that the society increase on the number of recipients

He observed that the numbers of expectant mothers in the country who need mosquito nets are many but they cannot afford to buy the insect traps.