Zanzibar — IN efforts to eradicate malaria, the Zanzibar government started distributing long lasting insecticide mosquito nets (LLINs) for free to residents, the ministry of health has announced.
"We have plans to distribute 315, 463 nets and the exercise started. We target specific groups such as children aged nine or below, people with disabilities and pregnant women," said the Minister for Health, Mr Juma Duni Haji.
Mr Haji thanked development partners particularly the Global Fund (GF) and the USA's Presidential Malaria Initiatives (PMI) for supporting the programme.
He asked the people in Zanzibar to use the nets while keeping their surroundings clean. He noted that Zanzibar is on track to eliminate malaria in the next three to five years, should concerted efforts continue and people support them by keeping their surroundings clean to avoid mosquito breeding grounds.
The new mosquito nets will be available at health centres across Zanzibar, and all eligible persons for the nets have to be approved by community leaders, he said.
"So everyone who is eligible should go and get the nets but make sure that you use them," said Mr Haji.
According the Tanzania Malaria and HIV survey of 2012, more than 60 per cent of households have mosquito nets, but only 37 per cent use the mosquito nets.
Flanked by health officers from Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Programme (ZAMEP), the minister put emphasis on people using the nets, asking the media to help advocate and promote use of the nets in the Isles.
According to the minister, malaria prevalence has remained below one per cent, with no suspected deaths from malaria in the past three years.
"However, a research on deaths caused by malaria has been conducted and we are waiting for a report," he said.
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