By KT Reporter
Medical personnel in Apac district have raised concerns over the increasing cases of malaria among pregnant women.
Apac is one district with the highest prevalence of malaria in the whole country, with a test positivity at 66 percent against the national average of 42 percent.
The prevalence among pregnant mothers in Apac is at 74 percent compared to 30 percent nationally, meaning out of every 100 pregnant women in Apac, 74 may have malaria, while nationally, only 30 may have malaria.
In 2020, 3,801 pregnant women in the district tested positive for malaria, and this number increased to 4,434 in 2024.
Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister of Health, explained that the statistics represent a big burden which requires a lot of work not only in Apac but in the country.
Dr. Daniel James Odongo, the Apac district health officer, says despite other interventions such as the use of insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor residual spraying, and environmental management, most pregnant women are still falling sick due to malaria, especially in the sub-counties of Akokoro and Apoi.
He attributed this to a failure to seek care from government health facilities.
He was, however, happy that through collaborative efforts, the test positivity rate has greatly reduced from 71.4 percent to 66 percent. “It has come through combined efforts with guidance from the leadership at the municipal, at the district level, all the way from his excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.”
Dr. Juliet Adongo Ochol, a pediatrician and the Lango regional coordinator for newborn health, the local maternity and neonatal systems attributes the high number of perinatal mortality to malaria in pregnancy, saying most mothers do not take prophylaxis against malaria.
Abdulhai Muwonge, the Apac Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), called for continued interventions to control mosquitoes in the area alongside the vaccination of children.
Apac district has the highest infective mosquito bites of 1,500 per year per person, which translates to three infective bites per night-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
