Millions of people living in those districts become vulnerable to malaria during monsoon if they are deprived of mosquito nets. [break]
The PSI-Nepal works in collaboration with MoHP and other local partners. The organization says that 934,434 nets will be distributed this winter in 15 districts of Tarai region and three hill districts. "We could not distribute nets on time due to some technical reasons," Program director of PSI-Nepal, KP Upadhyaya, said.
He said that the Global Fund has not signed the agreement paper yet, which has delayed the supply of nets. PSI-Nepal is a principal recipient of the Global Fund´s Round seventh grant for malaria program. The Global Fund had set aside US$ 9,126,452 for malaria control in its seventh round.
PSI is entrusted to distribute insecticide free nets in malaria risk districts. Upadhyaya concedes that people living in those districts did not get the bed nets the whole monsoon this year.
The PSI has to distribute nets in Dhankuta, Udayapur, Sarlahi, Siraha, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Makwanpur, Chitwan, Rupandehi, Kapilbastu, Dang, Surkhet, Doti and Parsa districts of Tarai region. Likewise, the organization has also planned to distribute nets in Panchthar and Sindhupalchowk districts.
Upadhyaya, however, claimed that people of those districts are not vulnerable as the organization had provided them with nets three years ago.
The organization provides new nets to the people of malaria risks districts once every three years. The organization provides one net to two people above five years of a family.
Malaria is prevalent in 65 of the 75 districts of Nepal. Net distribution campaign is operating in 25 malaria risk districts. More than 10 million people are supposed to benefit from the program. Prior to the campaign, hospitals in the districts were flooded by about 200,000 mosquito related cases with hundreds ending in deaths.
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