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Mash Central Bureau

Indoor residual house-spraying together with distribution of mosquito nets have become an effective tool in fighting malaria and Shamva Environmental Health officer Mr Evidence Mufambi has advised people against misuse of mosquito nets.

As the country moves towards elimination of malaria Mr Mufambi said double interventions have become effective in reducing malaria cases and people who effectively use mosquito nets and live in sprayed homes are less likely to get malaria.

“Starting next week we will be training 15 pray operators per district and big districts like Mbire and Rushinga will have two teams.

“We are urging traditional leaders and councillors to become the face of the campaign and lead by example by encouraging communities to welcome indoor residual-spraying,” he said.

“Low lying areas like Rushinga and Mbire were hotspots, but the prevalence rate of malaria cases is what directs us on which areas to give more attention to. We are in the pre-elimination phase and we haven’t recorded any outbreak yet.”

Mr Mufambi said when people receive new nets they think the old nets are useless yet they must use them to cover their windows and reuse them.

He emphasised the need for a legislation which penalises misuse of mosquito nets as the malaria season starts from October to December .

He expressed satisfaction on the decentralisation of health information and the training of community health workers to test malaria.

“Mosquito nets are distributed after three years but in our clinics we are doing continuous distribution for children under five, antenatal care mothers and people who were staying outside the catchment area,” he said.