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The ministry of health is set to distribute surplus mosquito nets to institutions such as boarding schools, children's home and orphanages early next year.
Speaking to journalists during a review meeting on the mass net distribution, Ministry of health, Vector Control Unit Dr Ahmeddin Omar says plans are underway to quantify the number of institutions in the 47 counties to benefit from the program.
''We are now talking of how we benefit other institutions like boarding schools, children's home and orphanages which were not catered for,'' said Dr Omar.
He added: ''We are trying to quantify how many nets might be needed for these institutions. We are talking to officers from counties and sub counties to give us the numbers. Since we have taken care of the households, we can take care of these special institutions.”
According to the Ministry of health, Program officer James Sang, a survey conducted on malaria prevalence in 2010 at the Coast and Western region was at 60 per cent.
He says malaria prevalence in western region stands at 38 per cent higher than coastal region which is less than 10 per cent due to low utilisation of mosquito nets.
Dr Omar says that the only way to deal with the challenge low utilisation is through community mobilisation and education on how to use the nets.
''The important measure is creating more awareness in the public. We also need to support local health officer to demonstrate the use of nets to the community,'' said Dr Omar.
He added that so far three million mosquito nets have been distributed in Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Siaya and Vihiga. The second phase of distribution will cover West Pokot, Kericho, Bomet and other counties in the coastal and western region.
Omar says that the government has set aside Ksh. 200M to implement the policy of Indoor Residual Spray (IRS) to combat prevalence of malaria in the country.
He warned that disposing old nets into water bodies or burning them is an environmental hazard citing that burying is the best option.
''The best thing if possible they should bury the nets. It is dangerous to throw them in the water bodies because the nets contain insecticides which are hazardous to aquatic life,'' said Dr Omar.