President Yoweri Museveni has directed all District Medical Officers in the country to maximize efforts in the eradication of malaria. He said that there should be mass action by all stakeholders, including all households and communities, in the eradication of malaria.
The President made the call on Saturday while speaking in Kabwoohe Municipality, Sheema district where he officially closed the ‘sleep under a mosquito net campaign’ launched in February last year.
“I direct all the District Medical Officers to maximize efforts to eradicate malaria. The Programme has enabled the drastic reduction of malaria in Uganda. It affects the health of our people,” the President said.
He described malaria as as a disease that leads to poverty as it constrains socio-economic transformation.
“Malaria causes illness, cripples and kills. Prevention of this disease is very important. It is a big constraint to economic development. In 2017, 9 million people in the world were infected and 5,100 people killed,” he said.
For several decades, malaria was the leading cause of sickness and death in Uganda, claiming over 150 lives daily. Efforts by the Government of Uganda, in partnership with donors from the international community to combat the disease through the increased access and use of long lasting insecticide treated nets among the population, presents a ray of hope.
The campaign has been concluded with the districts of Bundibugyo, Kagadi and Kasese in Western Region and Mbarara and Sheema in South Western Region. A total of 19,160,875 nets have been distributed in all the districts of Uganda surpassing its target of 85%.
President Museveni called on all Ugandans to stop using mosquito nets for weddings and fishing.
He further tasked the Ministry of Health to ensure that spraying is implemented for the welfare of all the people. He observed that the annual economic growth has been lower in the malaria-affected countries than that of the malaria free ones.
As a way of supporting the effective supervision of activities against malaria and proper utilization in homes, Museveni directed the Ministry of Health to provide bicycles to the 5,000 parish chiefs across the country.
He used the event to appreciate donors, especially USA which was represented by Ambassador Deborah Malac, and the Global Fund, for supporting the efforts of the Government of Uganda to eradicate malaria.
State Minister for Health, Sarah Opendi said that the malaria campaign was launched in 2009 and that to-date, over 80% of the population has been covered She reported that economic stagnation was partly caused by malaria infections.
In her remarks, the U.S. Ambassador to Uganda, Deborah Malac said that her country has supported Uganda in the provision of nets adding that in 2016, children under 5 years old had been shielded from malaria attack through the distribution of nets. The envoy said that the American Government remains committed to ensuring a malaria free Uganda.
The Director of Malaria Consortium for Eastern and Southern Africa, Dr. Godfrey Magumba, expressed gladness about the support Uganda has registered in the distribution of mosquito nets.
Sheema District LC5 Chairman, Canon David Babigumira saluted President Museveni for the effective malaria control efforts and revealed that the people of Sheema District are engaged in the production of shoes, soap and soya beans, among other activities.