Rotarians hand out treated mosquito nets in fight against malaria

 By PETER ESOP WARI

ROTARIANS Against Malaria, a non-government organisation, has distributed insecticide treated long-lasting mosquito nets in parts of the three districts in Hela.

They have 198,000 treated nets and the first phase of distribution will be completed by next week.

For the Tari-Pori district, Hayapuga, Tagali, Tebi and Tari urban have been targeted and some have been distributed.

For the Koroba-Kopiago district, South and North Koroba are target points for the first phase, while Komo-Margarima will be included  in Komo rural.

Rotarians Against Malaria project supervisor Corlis Gamoga said three steps were involved in the distribution – social mobilisation, survey and distribution.

He said mobilisation and survey were completed and they were distributing the nets.

“Before the three steps were executed, the team built a good relationship with community leaders and churches and collected basic information.

“Basing on the leaders’ and pastors’ recommendations, volunteers were selected to help them.”

He said volunteers for each community were trained and given booklets to help with the survey.

“Unlike any other provinces, most of the people from the province only know their Huli dialect and the involvement of the leaders and churches were to make communication much easier,” Gamoga said.

Tari hospital acting medical superintendent William Hape said on average, every 100 patients admitted at the hospital, a quarter were malaria-related cases.

He said malaria was a big problem in the province and distribution of the treated mosquito nets would help minimise the problem.

He urged pregnant women and children to always sleep under the treated nets.