SHINYANGA: THE government, through the Ministry of Health and President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), has launched a campaign to distribute treated mosquito nets free of charge to every household in Shinyanga Region in efforts to combat Malaria in the area where the current infection rate is 16 per cent.
This was revealed on Monday by Senior Officer from the Ministry of Health, Peter Gitanya through the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), during a working session with journalists in the region.
He said that through its Malaria control programme, the government has initiated a campaign to distribute insecticide-treated bed nets for free to every household in order to combat and eliminate the disease by 2030.
“In Shinyanga region, 1.5 million treated bed nets will be distributed and all households will be covered.
We are currently in the process of registering households and each household will receive one bed net for every two people,” said Mr Gitanya.
He noted that households which will not be registered, will not receive bed nets, insisting that the residents should participate fully in the registration process where officers will be visiting the households to collect information and provide special cards which will be used during the distribution process. M
r Gitanya added that the registration process started on January 2, 2025 and will continue until January 15 this year. “On January 16, the distribution process will begin, reaching all registered households.”
Speaking on Malaria situation in the country, he said that Shinyanga Region ranks fourth nationally with a high malaria rate of 16 per cent, while Tabora ranks first with 24 per cent.
Mtwara ranks second with 20 per cent while Kagera is placed at the third slot with 18 per cent. The national average infection rate is only 8 per cent.
Ms Happines Nania from the Ministry of Health said that any citizen who loses the card they received during the registration process should visit the respective centres to receive a new net as their information will be available.
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She also stressed the importance of properly maintaining and using the nets.
Acting Shinyanga Regional Chief Medical Officer Dr Faustine Mlyutu, while opening the working session, hailed the government for its campaign against Malaria urging journalists to use their platforms to educate the public on the proper use of insecticide-treated bed nets.
He also emphasised on the need for journalists to dispel misconceptions that have been spread about the use of the treated nets, which have led some people to avoid using them, insisting that the nets are safe and harmless.
Chairman of the Shinyanga Press Club, Greyson Kakuru expressed gratitude to the government for involving them in the campaign, noting that they would use their platforms to spread the correct message to the public about the proper use of insecticidetreated bed nets and the fight against malaria.
