Adjumani District has launched its third Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaign, targeting 140,000 houses, including those of both nationals and refugees.
The exercise, expected to last 25 days, aims to combat malaria, a leading public health challenge in the region.
Representing the Adjumani District Health Officer at the launch, Robert Dragule, the District Vector Control Officer, emphasized that the initiative seeks to protect both host and refugee communities in the West Nile region.
“This vital intervention is supported by the Global Fund through the Ministry of Health,” Dragule said.
Adjumani Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Emmanuel Okware, who served as the chief guest, cautioned residents against resisting the spraying exercise.
“We expect to register success in this third phase of IRS as we have already embarked on community sensitization efforts through local radio stations to encourage locals to embrace the initiative,” Okware said.
David Onayang, representing the Assistant Commissioner for National Malaria Elimination, explained that the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with local authorities and health partners, oversees the IRS program.
“Trained health workers, with the help of other relevant stakeholders, will conduct the spraying exercise, with community awareness campaigns preceding it to educate residents and address misconceptions,” Onayang said.
Edema Richard Draciri, the Adjumani Principal Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, expressed optimism that the current campaign would further decrease malaria prevalence, contributing to improved public health outcomes in the district.
Previous IRS campaigns have significantly reduced malaria cases in Adjumani. Severe malaria cases in health facilities across the district have dropped from 40% to 33% following the first two rounds of spraying.