By MAIMBO MWEEMBA
Chingola District Health Board has flagged off the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) program for 2020/2021.
Speaking today during the event, Chingola Acting District Commissioner Maximillian Makasa appealed to residents in the district to allow the health workers spray their homes with resilience.
Mr Makasa said that IRS is safe and helps in eradicating mosquitoes in homes thereby preventing the spread of Malaria.
He said that Malaria remains a major Public Health Challenge in the country especially among the pregnant women, elderly and under five children.
Mr Makasa said that Government recognizes the central role of Malaria prevention so as to achieve the country’s development plan.
“In 2020, 7,650 insecticide Treated Nets (ITN’s) were distributed in Chingola, representing 92%, the distribution of INTs is still ongoing among pregnant women and under ones, this is in the quest to stop the spread of Malaria in the district,” he said.
Mr Makasa said that IRS has been faced with various challenges among the few spraying pumps and the fear of residents being gassed by unknown substances.
Mr Makasa also thanked the cooperating partners for making it possible to fight Malaria in the district.
And Chingola District Health Board Director Davis Mwewa appealed to the residents to ensure that their houses are sprayed as this is one of the major ways of eliminating malaria.
Dr Mwewa said the chemicals that will be used are very effective and there is nothing to worry about on the part of the residents.
