The residents of Amuru district have begun reaping the benefits of a series of indoor residual spraying that were conducted recently.
Many say that they now have sound sleep in the absence of buzzing mosquitoes that used to cause sleepless nights and malaria. James Kilara, a resident of Amuru Sub County says that his family has been free from malaria for the last several months since the indoor residual exercise begun last year.
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Walter Okello, a resident of Pailyec parish is excited that with malaria out of their community, they can now save some money since the disease was the most common.
But the residents are not celebrating alone. Health workers have also reported a reduction in the number of malaria cases reported at the various health centers following the spraying.
Bernard Okongo, a clinical officer at Bobi health centre in Gulu says that malaria cases have drastically reduced over the last eight months due to the indoor residual spraying. He told URN on Friday that malaria is no longer top of the most reported diseases at the facility. He said previously, the facility would receive nearly a hundred cases in a week but the number has since reduced to about 50 in a week.
Okongo says respiratory track infection has replaced malaria on the top of the list of the most reported illnesses.
At Amuru health centre, a similar trend has been reported. Anthony Odur, a data clerk says pneumonia has replaced malaria as the most common sickness among the patients visiting the facility.
The data displayed on the notice board at the health centre indicates that malaria infection is on a downward trend from 1,000 cases in July last year to 500 cases in May this year.
Charles Okwera, the Amuru district health officer explained that the indoor residual spraying had proved effective in control of malaria. Okwera urged government to intensify the exercise and ensure it covers all the mosquito infested areas to control malaria.
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In 2006, the ministry of health reintroduced indoor residual spraying as a measure to help minimize cases of malaria infection and reduce deaths from the disease. During the spraying exercise, insecticide is directed at the inside walls and ceilings of houses and buildings to kill and destroy the habitat of mosquitoes, which cause malaria.
