The population of the Southwest Region has asked health authorities to provide them with the nets which the Minister of Public Health, Andre Mama Fouda, announced while celebrating the 8th World Malaria Day on April 28, 2015, under the theme; ‘Roll Back Malaria’.
The distribution of mosquito nets, scheduled for August 16 to 20, 2015, is still awaited by the people of the Southwest Region.
The Minister announced the distribution of 12million mosquito bed nets this year, of which the Southwest was supposed to get 900,000. The people are asking why the date has come and passed with no sign of distribution.
For the effective distribution of the mosquito nets, workers were dispatched to register inhabitants of their areas and issue them receipts in order to know the number of persons in each family and number of nets to be given to them.
Many holders of the receipt issued to them during the census have gone to the various distribution centres in the Region, like the Military Hospital, to collect their mosquito nets but have been stranded.
Sonia Njoko, a hairdresser in the Campaign Street neighborhood of Buea, said she saw the issuing of receipts to people as a good idea, especially because some people might collect the net many times. She said that distribution of last year was not properly done, as mosquito nets were seen haphazardly dispersed in offices and piled in stores, whereas many people were left without any.
“I was not around when the receipts were distributed, so I don’t have a receipt. I would like to have one because malaria is a threat and it is becoming very rampant in our society today. But I think this team of distributors would have been organised to pass through localities more than once, so that those absent in the first outing will not miss out,” Njoko stated.
A member of last year’s team of distributors,who pleaded for anonymity, said she is not happy with the delay because she feels it is some sort of manipulation by the Government. She said she reported to the military hospital on the day stated on her receipt to collect her mosquito net but was disappointed in the fact that the nets were not available.
“I have gone to collect my own net but I was told just to listen to the radio. I wonder how people without radios will receive the information when distribution starts. I think this delay will be detrimental to us because, when delivery begins, as a result of the scramble, fighting may erupt,” she averred.
Another Buea citizen, Comfort Tinga, a farmer averred: “I really feel bad with this delay because mosquitoes are just too many. The Government promised to distribute the nets, they should do so. However, we, as citizens, need to be patient because we are not paying for it”.
Meantime, someBuea inhabitants say they do not really need the mosquito net because they do not have mosquitoes in their residences.
A shop owner, Goddy Yadikwa, said: “I do not really have interest in the nets. It is my wife who follows up that, because, the ones given us last year were used only for a few months. This is because mosquitoes are not in Buea”.
Yadikwa stated that he had seen many people going to the distribution centres and coming back saddened.
“Some people think it is a political campaign as they are being tossed around waiting for the distribution of the nets,” Yadikwa opined.
