NYANZA - The number of malaria cases registered at different health centres in Nyanza District has fallen drastically, officials say. The fall in infection rates has been attributed to intensive spraying of homesteads with various insecticides.

Over a period of 42 days, officials from the National Programme against Malaria (PNLP) sprayed 45,616 households in seven sectors of the district.

"Before the use of the insecticide there were 40,044 malaria reported cases in different health centres, however, after the spraying exercise only 2934 cases were reported,” said Michael Habinshuti a PNLP district officer.

Habinshuti cautioned residents against giving up on other precautionary methods like sleeping under  mosquito nets and ensuring that their houses are closed before night fall.

Officials conducting the exercise however, lamented the lack of cooperation from the local people. 

"We are calling upon the local leadership and other stakeholders to come on board because the exercise benefits the people themselves. The local population needs to be mobilised and this can be done with the help of local leaders,” said Beatus Cyubahiro, a PNLP official. The next spraying phase is planned for January 2010.

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