There was a lot more rain than usual in the last part of July and the month of August. Whenever it rains, the drainage system ( a hand dug trench weaving in and out among the houses) is washed clean from all the garbage and sewage that is just dumped there to be flushed downstream for someone else to worry about.  Although effective in disposing of waste, this system inevitably leaves pools of standing water where mosquitoes can breed.  The slum areas are usually on land that no one wants because they are low lying and swampy, especially in the rainy season.  This time of year the incidence of malaria increases dramatically due to the favourable conditions for the mosquitoes.  We spent 1/6^th of our monthly school budget on malaria treatment in August. 

 

As we have been fixing up the houses in the slum areas, we have been distributing insecticide treated mosquito nets to each household. We plan on putting them in the houses of all of the 200 kids in the school. The names of families that have received and are now using nets are being recorded so that we can track the rate of malaria cases in the kids at the school to see if our efforts are being rewarded.

 

It has been quite a challenge trying to communicate how important the nets are to the mothers and caregivers. We have found that we have to go into their houses and hang them up for them or they will remain in the package. Most had no idea that the net has to touch the ground in order to keep out the mosquitoes. They would hang them so that they hung several feet off the ground.  We are told that the type of mosquito that carries malaria comes out only at night and flies at ground level up to 2 feet or so. 

 

Tim has devised a system of hanging that allows the nets to slide up against the wall during the day so that the family can function in their tiny space during the day. If the nets were going to be in their way, they didn’t want any part of them.  We think we will have to make the rounds in a month or so to make sure they continue to be used properly.

 

Malaria is the most significant health threat here in Uganda. It is the number one killer of children. In high risk areas, the death rate of children aged five and under is 37 out of 1000. It accounts for 70% of all children’s outpatient clinic/hospital visits and 50% of all inpatient admissions. Many poor families may spend 25% of their income on malaria treatment but it can be almost completely prevented by the use of insecticide treated mosquito nets. 3-4 children can sleep under one king size net at a cost of $8 Canadian each. 46 nets were already paid for by families in Canada!! The distribution of nets in the slum areas will be an ongoing project for us so you will always see mosquito nets listed on the “Help the Kids” page. 

 

In about 6 months, we hope to have some positive data to give you about net use and the reduction of malaria cases and costs.  Click on the video to see a net hanging day.