The State Minister for Primary Health care, James Kakooza has indicated that his ministry will distribute about seven million mosquito nets to Uganda pregnant women and children under the age of five years across the country.
Kakooza has told journalists at Uganda Parliament that the ministry of Health has received a grant of about 17 million treated mosquito nets from Global Fund.
He says out of the 17 million mosquito nets, only seven million nets have been procured and will be distributed in the first Phase.
Kakooza says people in sub- counties where no mosquito nets have been distributed in the last 3 years and those that received mosquito nets which are likely to have expired will have first priority. He says regional balance will also be considered in the distribution of the nets.
The minister appealed to the media to help sensitize the public on the distribution of accelerated insecticide treated mosquito nets to ensure the reduction of malaria infection rates.
According to the Uganda ministry of health, malaria is the leading cause of death in Uganda mostly affecting pregnant women and children.