GASABO - At least Rwf 240m has been spent in implementing the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) project in Gasabo District, as part of the fight against malaria. This was disclosed last week by Eric Rutoni Kayoge, the IRS Operations Manager.

IRS is a countrywide programme aimed at spraying all households as a way of preventing malaria in families brought about by mosquitoes.

Kayoge said this during a meeting held in Kibagabaga which assessed the performance challenges while formulating a way forward for the next implementation exercise.

"We should appreciate what we have achieved so far but utilise this meeting as a platform to identify challenges experienced during our previous exercise so that we increase the effect of our next operation,” Kayoge said.

The IRS campaign is an effective and proven intervention designed to protect people from Malaria, the leading cause of death and illness in Rwanda, piloted in the three districts of Gasabo, Kicukiro and Nyarugenge in Kigali.

Apparently, two other districts in the Southern and Eastern Province have taken up the campaign making it five districts benefiting from the programme.

So far, the exercise has been implemented thrice.
During the discussions, one of the officials explained the IRS procedure in detail stressing that the major intention of spraying is to kill mosquitoes by directly attacking their life cycle.

"Mosquitoes do not feed on blood with an intention of infecting people; they do so with a purpose of having life and produce other young mosquitoes. By spraying, we affect or stop its life cycle hence curbing malaria infection levels,” he noted.

Statistics at hand indicate that over 2.5 million people have accessed this service.

Participants identified major challenges as those related to weather conditions, topography of the area and the centres of operation being located far way from the main workplace.

In relation to solving major issues, the meeting came up with committees to raise ideas that will generate solutions to these challenges.

Ends