MANGOCHI, Malawi, May 4 (Xinhua) -- World Vision, an international charity organization operating in Malawi, has announced its plans to embark on a campaign of mass distribution of Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets in the country's 28 districts to fight malaria.
World Vision Malaria Coordinator in Malawi, Cornelius Kunkeyani, briefed authorities and the local media on Friday in the lake shore district of Mangochi, saying the campaign is in line with the Global Fund financing arrangement for the 2018-2020 grants for National Malaria Control Program which World Vision Malawi will coordinate.
According to Kunkeyani, Malawi is expected to have 17.9 million people in 2018 and using the WHO recommended quantification of population, the country will need nearly 10 million mosquito nets.
"But due to the longtime that has passed since the last census was conducted in June 2008, a 10 percent buffer stock has been added to the total needed, making it about 11 million nets for the campaign," said Kunkeyani.
He added: "Out of this amount, the Global Fund will finance procurement of 6.7 million nets while Malaria Foundation will finance the procurement of the remaining 4.3 million nets,"
The first shipment of the nets is expected to arrive in Malawi in July 2018 and distribution will start in the southern region in September and distribution in the central and northern regions will be in October and November respectively.
World Vision will use local structures to make sure that they achieve 100 percent coverage across the country, according to the coordinator.
Ministry of Health spokesperson, Joshua Malango, told the media recently during the Malaria Commemoration Day 2018 that the government was worried as sleeping under mosquito nets remained a challenge in Malawi.
"It is worrisome that some people use the nets for fishing, while other men believe that sleeping under mosquito nets can turn them impotent," said Malango.
In his State of the Nation Address on Friday to mark the official opening of Budget Session of Parliament for 2018/2019 financial year, Malawi President Peter Mutharika disclosed that currently malaria contributes to 30 percent of all patients admitted to Malawi health facilities and 40 percent of those treated were out-patients.
