From the touchline; The effect of malaria in the world, and sub-Saharan Africa in particular is worrying. Statistics are more frightening. Lots of donations, grants and charity organizations have supplemented governments’ efforts to contain the disease.
Though spread by a tiny female anopheles mosquito, the implications are some of the leading cause of deaths per day.
Among the preventive measures of malaria spread is sleeping under mosquito nets. These have been donated in plenty. But, its one thing to donate an insecticide treated mosquito net, and the other for the recipient to actually sleep under that net.
It’s a hot mid-morning and am wading my feet through Kamwokya-Kyebando, a Kampala suburb, when a football pitch catches my eye. There no players yet. It’s the goal posts that am interested in. The football stars that use this pitch are using mosquito nets as goal nets. And they work very well, am told.
While the Ministry of Health and supporting agencies are making the attempt and handing out mosquito nets, these football enthusiasts are inventing a different use for the nets.
Kamwokya-Kyebando is a slummy place, in an area that floods whenever it rains, and is full of trenches full of water even during the hot sun spells.
