Rubanda District has received 147,300 long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets from the National Medical Stores (NMS) through the Ministry of Health in a major effort to strengthen malaria prevention and protect thousands of households from one of Uganda’s leading public health challenges.
The mosquito nets will be distributed to households across all 70 parishes under the Ministry of Health’s nationwide mass mosquito net distribution campaign, which aims to reduce malaria infections and related deaths by ensuring families have access to effective prevention tools.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at the Rubanda District Health Office, the District Malaria Programme Focal Person, Grace Turyakira, said the nationwide mosquito net replacement exercise is conducted every three years to replace worn-out nets and sustain malaria prevention efforts.
She explained that the Ministry allocates one mosquito net for every two people in a household, in line with national guidelines, noting that the last mass distribution campaign was conducted in 2023.
“The campaign will strengthen household protection against mosquito bites and significantly reduce the malaria burden in the district,” Turyakira said.
Representing the Ministry of Health, Abirahmin Kananathan described the delivery of the mosquito nets as the beginning of the campaign’s implementation phase.
He said the next stage will involve training District Health Teams and Village Health Teams (VHTs), registering beneficiary households and distributing the mosquito nets to communities across the district.
Kananathan appealed to district leaders, health workers and residents to fully support the exercise to ensure every eligible household benefits from the intervention.
Rubanda District Vice Chairperson Prossy Kesafari praised the government for its continued investment in public health programmes aimed at preventing diseases and safeguarding communities.
She noted that Rubanda’s population has grown to 249,454 people, a 26.7 percent increase from the 196,896 recorded during the 2014 National Population and Housing Census, making the mosquito net distribution campaign both timely and essential.
Kesafari urged officials overseeing the exercise to ensure the mosquito nets are distributed fairly, transparently and without discrimination. She also encouraged residents to use the nets consistently and correctly to protect their families from malaria.
Assistant Resident District Commissioner Hillary Bindeba called on the National Medical Stores and district officials to ensure proper handling and temporary storage of the mosquito nets at parish level, particularly in areas with limited storage facilities.
He also urged implementers to expedite the distribution process and ensure casual labourers engaged in offloading and transporting the mosquito nets are paid promptly and fairly for their services.
The mosquito net distribution campaign forms part of the government’s broader strategy to reduce malaria prevalence, improve public health outcomes and expand access to life-saving malaria prevention measures.
Once completed, the exercise is expected to benefit thousands of families across Rubanda District while advancing Uganda’s national efforts to eliminate malaria as a public health challenge.
