Baringo receives 290,000 mosquito nets in Kemsa initiative to prevent malaria

Baringo County has received 290,000 free mosquito nets in three subcounties.

The net distribution program is funded by the Global Fund and aims at distributing treated nets to all 20 malaria-endemic counties.

Speaking at the Kemsa depo in Nakuru town, the authority CEO Waqo Dulacha Ejersa expressed joy over their involvement in the last-mile distribution of nets in 18 counties.

He said they are giving four nets per household to ensure that over a million people are protected.

He noted that they are targeting pregnant women and children below five years with nets that can last for three years.

Waqo acknowledged the role of the Global Fund and the US government in the initiative, saying that they have supported it through the national treasury.

"They have supported us through the National Treasury and the Ministry of Health to a tune of 10.9 million nets to about 22 counties. Four counties have been distributed through other mechanisms but we are going to 18 counties," he said.

Waqo added that they are working closely with counties to make sure that the last mile is achieved.

He said in the past, they did not do the last mile distribution, which involves going to the point of the net pick-up.

This time round, however, they are doing it owing to the collaboration with Global Fund.

The last mile is made successful through the identification of the recipients in a process done by the National Malaria Program.

Kemsa is then given the posts by the stakeholders to deliver the mosquito nets.

Speaking during the flagging off of the nets at Muserech dispensary, Baringo, Deputy Governor Felix Maiyo said the three counties have a population of 474,000.

He said Eldama Ravine subcounty will get 95,000 nets, Mogotio Subcounty 72,000 nets and Baringo South will get 80,000 nets.

The deputy governor said Eldama Ravine was picked as it is prone to highland malaria while Baringo South is prone to the disease due to the irrigation projects in that region.

He said Mogotio had also been identified as malaria endemic.

Koibatek also has highland malaria which happens in seasons while Marigat is surrounded by irrigation scheme projects which lead to malaria due to stagnant waters.

At the Kerio belt, Tiaty East and Tiaty West upsurges are experienced at times.

In the Tiaty area, malaria is a result of mosquito bites during nomadic travels.

Maiyo decried the high cost of treating malaria, hence the need to have more prevention initiatives.

"So I call upon the people of Baringo and generally the people of this country to follow the preventive measures," he said.

He noted that most affected are pregnant women and children noting that proper mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that only those dully registered and vetted will receive the nets.

The county administration confirmed that Tiaty West has had an upsurge of malaria, with almost 40 per cent of the population having malaria.

It however confirmed that it has sent the commodities needed to solve the issue.

The county has devised various ways of malaria prevention including the use of mosquito nets, social mobilisation which is educating on how to stear clear the disease and malaria case management where they test and treat.

The county lost two lives at the Baringo County Referral Hospital, from malaria.

At the event was Chief Officer Medical Services in Baringo Winnie Bore who acknowledged that the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority is helping to reach the most deserving in the last mile program. 

She noted the county government was working towards building a deeper relationship with the authority to improve medical supplies in health facilities across the county.

Baringo Health executive Solomon Sirma said Kemsa was the supplier of choice in the county because of the last mile program.

"You can reach even on top of mountains, reaching communities in very remote areas," he said.

"We are also getting medical supplies at very affordable rates, and the supplies are of the right quality and standard."

The CEC added that the county was in the process of clearing all pending bills for Kemsa adding that they were prioritising malaria prevention.

"The prevention of malaria has never changed since many years ago. It is about ensuring there is no stagnant water, clearing the bushes and sleeping under treatment mosquito nets, " he said.

If well prevented, Sirma said, budgets that are currently going for the disease treatment can be diverted to other pressing health services including setting up maternity wings in facilities that lack.

Community leader William Kimeli observed that the region was malaria endemic.

He asked for a concerted effort to improve health services including upgrading Muserech dispensary to a health center.

"Malaria here is a very big problem. This area provides a good environment for mosquito breeding. That's a big problem. But the nets will go a long way in preventing the people here from malaria, especially the children," he said.

Kimeli asked the county to also improve drug distribution to ensure that no facility lacks essential drugs.

So far, Kilifi, Lamu and Nyanza counties have received the nets.

Waqo said the distribution of free mosquito nets is also going on simultaneously in Kirinyaya and Turkana counties.

He said they have added Nandi and Kericho counties in the list of the 20 counties.