By Matilda Atieno
Over the past decade, there has been strong progress globally against malaria in the country with increased efforts to prevent and treat malaria.
In Kenya where malaria is endemic, government and development partners have stepped up efforts to increase people’s access to insecticide-treated mosquito nets, among other prevention measures. The counties highly affected include Kisumu, Siaya, Busia, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Lamu, Kilifi, Homabay, Kwale, Mombasa, and Vihiga.
The mass net distribution activities for Kisumu began in January this year with stakeholders discussing the distribution process at Migosi Primary School.
The stakeholders’ meeting was presided over by the County Malaria Control Coordinate Lilyana Dayo. This was followed by the training of officers who were involved in the digital household registration and distribution processes. The officers included health workers, Community health promoters, and village elders.
The process was digitally coordinated Using the Ministry of Health platform dubbed DIGIMAL. The exercise led to the registration of 1.7 Million residents from the 326, 990 households visited and over 350 thousand residents of Kisumu participating in the digital distribution of mosquito nets.
To support the mosquito net distribution KEMSA delivered 859, 648 bed nets meeting the target of one net for every two people in the county. “We have made very real progress towards the goal with the distribution of treated mosquito nets, in an exercise that was concluded on the 10th of March 2024 with 100% household registration while 93% were the beneficiaries of the mosquito bed nets,” said Dr. Liliana Dayo, county Malaria Control Programme coordinator.
Residents were optimistic that the nets would protect their families including vulnerable young children and pregnant women against malaria for at least three years and could make a significant difference in malaria incidence.
Jack Onuong’a of Seme sub-county observed that “It is encouraging that as a common man, we can own mosquito nets, but for long-term success in protecting poor people from this disease, the government will have to sustain these efforts to keep up defences against malaria, especially among poor households that tend to be affected the most.”
