Africa-Press – Uganda. The manager for the malaria control programme at the Health Ministry, Dr Jimmy Opigo, has said they started doing surveillance following an announcement by Kenya that a new type of mosquito has invaded their country.
“This is a mosquito which was originally in Asia, it is an aggressive urban mosquito. It has recently been discovered in the Horn of Africa, and Kenya has announced it. We have put a surveillance for it,” he said.
“We know that since we share a border with Kenya, trucks may bring it here. As we do surveillance, we are preparing ourselves. It can breed in urban areas with little dirty waters which we have in the trenches,” Dr Opigo added.
He said this on Thursday while launching the distribution of mosquito nets in Kampala. The mosquito is known by the scientific name Anopheles Stephensi but like other mosquitoes, sleeping under mosquito nets can protect one from its bites.
“It is very sneaky, it can breed in urban areas and can make us lose all the gains we have made in the malaria fight. Don’t be complaining, go to the distribution point for mosquito nets or call the chairperson LC1,” he said.
Malaria kills 16 Ugandans daily and causes an estimated annual economic loss of $500 million (Shs1.76 trillion) due to treatment costs and work time lost, according to data from the Health Ministry and research reports.
“These mosquitoes breed majorly in urban areas hence posing a big problem to areas like Kampala and Wakiso where malaria has been tremendously reduced. Another species called arabiansis which bites mostly from outside is also around,” he said.
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