Do not use mosquito nets for fishing – Ndeitunga

Ohangwena governor Sebastian Ndeitunga is urging inhabitants of the region to avoid using treated mosquito nets for fishing or any other unintended purposes.

Ndeitunga said many people who have received treated mosquito nets have turned them into fishing gear or chicken kraal nets, citing that the nets are intended for use indoors to combat malaria.

He said this is concerning for the Ministry of Health and Social Services and civil society organisations working to combat the spread of malaria cases in the region.

“I would really like to send a strong word of caution to the people who are using treated mosquito nets for other unintended purposes to stop it. Mosquito nets are used to protect people against malaria … We have so many people who are in dire need of the nets, while some people are using them for funny things. They must stop it,” he said.

He said that the region has received about 2 000 mosquito nets from the Kunene and Oshikoto regions, and has also conducted reactive indoor residual spraying.

Ndeitunga said the region faces a number of challenges in the fight against malaria as new cases are detected every day.

He said that since the malaria outbreak in October, a total of 3 717 malaria cases were recorded, requiring 399 hospitalisations and resulting in six deaths.

“We are faced with challenges such as an ageing fleet, limited stock of long-lasting treated nets, cross-border patient management proving to be difficult because of wrong addresses, and refusals of some preventative measures.

“Many malaria cases are cross-border cases from Angola. However, the Ministry of Health and Social Services is trying its level best to combat further spreads of malaria,” said Ndeitunga.

He added that over 250 villages were visited and sprayed, and 2 149 active mosquito breeding sites were treated.

Ndeitunga also said that a total of 53 618 long-lasting insecticidal nets have been distributed in the region.