Roundup: Uganda strives to roll back economic cost of malaria burden

As the world commemorates World Malaria Day on April 25, Uganda, one of the countries hardest hit by the disease, is striving to roll back its economic cost.

Ministry of health figures show that Uganda currently has the sixth highest number of annual deaths from malaria in Africa and some of the highest reported malaria transmission rates in the world.

Over 140 people mostly children and pregnant mothers in the country die of the disease daily. Although this figure is a decline from the 320 people who used to die daily, experts argue that the mortality rate is still high.

Malaria continues to be an economic burden to the government, families and individuals who lose working hours because they are sick.

"Malaria consumes a substantial amount of the health budget, thus affecting economic development. Reduction of cases and even the ultimate interruption of malaria transmission are therefore critical," Asuman Lukwago, permanent secretary of ministry of health said in a recent statement.

Health minister Elioda Tumwesigye, during a visit to a Chinese-owned mosquito net production company in the country on April 8, said mosquito nets are known and very effective in preventing malaria.

SinoAfrica Medical Devices, the Chinese-owned factory, has started the production of insecticide mosquito nets.

With the coming on board of SinoAfrica Medical Devices, the first mosquito net making factory in the country and the second in the east African region, the health minister said morbidity as a result of the disease will be hopefully pulled down.

He said that the production of mosquito nets locally would also reduce on the amount of money the government has been spending on procurement of the nets from abroad.

Ministry of health figures show that Uganda spends 100 million U.S. dollars every three years on importation of mosquito nets.

This year alone, the country will require over 25 million mosquito nets to the next universal coverage campaign. The last campaign was in August 2014. In addition to the 25 million nets, another 10 million nets are needed for routine distribution in antenatal and child clinics plus schools.

According to Tumwesigye, if all the nets are produced locally, the money spent on importation costs would be put elsewhere where it is critically needed.

Zhang JianMing, manager of the factory said they currently produce four million mosquito nets and they hope to increase production to 10 million nets annually by end of the year.

"The cost of the nets will go down but we also want to supply to other countries in the region where the disease is a burden," Zhang told Xinhua on Wednesday.

According to Conrad Atuhaire, Chief of Operations SinoAfrica Medical Devices, an imported net in Uganda is now at 4.9 U.S. dollars while a net made at the factory is at 3.8 dollars.

"With these nets, we have healthier families, people in the villages are able to go to their farms and work without malaria interruption. Children are able to go to school without malaria," he said.

Uganda's Malaria Reduction Strategic Plan 2014-2020 shows that with the different interventions, it is hoped that by 2020, there would be a reduction in morbidity to 30 cases per 1,000 population.

Other interventions that the country is embarking on in preventing the disease include Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS).

The IRS is the application of a long-lasting, residual insecticide to potential malaria vectors resting on surfaces such as internal walls, eaves, and ceilings of houses or structures, where such malaria vectors might come into contact with the insecticide.

The UN World Health Organization recommends the use of IRS in epidemic-prone areas and regions with stable malaria transmission.

The country last November started IRS in 16 districts in the northern and eastern parts of the country to protect the 4.5 million people there against the deadly disease.

According to the health ministry, IRS has proven to be an effective malaria prevention strategy and has rapidly reduced malaria out-patient and in-patient attendances. Endit