By James Innocent
More than 280 mosquito net distributors have completed a two-day training program in Yei River County ahead of a major malaria prevention campaign expected to reach thousands of households across the county.
The training, organised by the County Health Department in partnership with Health Link, brought together community leaders and youth representatives from the five payams of Yei River County.
Participants were equipped with skills and guidelines for the distribution of more than 202,750 insecticide-treated mosquito nets intended to help reduce malaria infections.
Speaking during the closing ceremony on Tuesday, Yei River County Commissioner Samuel Henry Malimbo commended the participants for their commitment throughout the training and said the knowledge gained would contribute to the successful implementation of the campaign.
He urged distributors to work transparently and ensure that mosquito nets reach the intended beneficiaries without favouritism or corruption.
”The knowledge acquired during this training will not only support the current campaign but will also be useful in future public health interventions,” Malimbo said.
The commissioner also warned against the sale of mosquito nets distributed under the program, noting that the nets are intended for public health purposes and should be provided free of charge to residents.
He said local authorities are preparing an order outlining penalties for anyone found selling the nets.
Malimbo further expressed appreciation to the program’s donor and implementing partners for supporting malaria prevention efforts in Yei River County.
Paramount Chief Joseph Brown encouraged community leaders and residents to use the mosquito nets properly to protect families from mosquito bites and reduce the spread of malaria.
Meanwhile, Deputy County Health Director Cons Guya said the upcoming exercise marks the second large-scale mosquito net distribution campaign in Yei River County.
He praised the collaboration between health authorities and development partners in strengthening community health services.
One of the trainees, Christopher Taharir, called on fellow distributors to apply the skills acquired during the training and ensure fair and accountable distribution of the mosquito nets across all communities.
Health officials say the mosquito net campaign is expected to benefit thousands of residents across Yei River County as authorities continue efforts to combat malaria, one of the leading public health challenges in South Sudan.
Health Link is implementing the campaign with support from its development partners and donors as part of broader efforts to improve malaria prevention and community health outcomes in the county.