Uganda: Healthcare Implementing Partner for UNHCR at Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement
Community Distribution of Mosquito Nets
May 06, 2016
Summary of Activities
The United States President’s Malaria Initiative, led by the U.S. Agency for International Development
donated more than a quarter of a million treated mosquito nets for people living in refugee settlements in
Uganda.
Malaria continues to be the leading cause of death amongst people living in refugee-hosting districts.
Therefore, long-lasting treated nets that were distributed to refugees are expected to protect thousands of
refugees from malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases, since the best way to bring down deaths from
malaria is to prevent people from catching malaria.
Challenges
- Most of refugee are settled where they located by OPM thus affecting distribution plans.
- Other competition activities such as GFD and refugee verification exercise.
- Some refugees sold off the nets.
Recommendations
- There is need for more treated nets to be distributed to refuges that missed out.
- RMF to continue with community sanitization on malaria prevention and use of LLINs.

Results &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Training on Prevention
Preparation for Project Team
A total of 105 Village Health Teams from the refugee community received training in how to
hang mosquito nets and communicate essential messages on the dangers of malaria, the benefits of
sleeping under mosquito nets and the care of the nets. The training was conducted by Kiryandongo
district malaria prevention and control trainers.

A Challenge through Radio
and Drama Performances
Two radio talk shows were held in Kiryandongo where key messages on malaria prevention were passed on by representatives from district health team officials and representatives of the refugee leaders.Within the community. Drama performances were staged by two refugee community groups to to challenge community practices and attitudes on the misuse of mosquito nets in ways such as using the nets as weeding and shelter construction materials, and at nursery bed when raising seeds.

Mode of Distribution
Strategy set in Motion
Much as the earlier plan was to distribute the nets using the household to household strategy, at field level
an agreement was reached with the Office the Prime Minister, UNHCR, RMF and Ministry of
Health malaria consortium representative to do general distribution of nets and thereafter hang-up
campaign and mop exercise in the refugee community.

Final Phase of Distribution
Marcy 16-31
All the phases were duly supported by the village health teams, community health Assistant and the program officer from RMF, Office the Prime Minister and UNHCR field staffs and other development actor throughout the exercise. The distribution of nets commenced on March 16 and ended on March 31. The hang-up campaign begun on April 4 and it is ongoing within the refugee community.

Teaching Prevention in Schools
Awareness through Art
Dialogues were held in schools to increase awareness on malaria prevention. Still in schools, drawing
competition on malaria prevention and control was organized in the six primary schools and one secondary
school in the settlement were learners participated by drawing and exhibiting their works on how they can
prevent malaria in their homes and the general community.

Background
& Objectives
Background
The project has been implemented in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement as part of the emergency response to the South Sudanese refugee influx. Health services are provided through the established health centers: Panyadoli Hills Health Centre II, Panyadoli Health Centre III, Nyakadot Health Centre II, and the Reception Centre Clinic with community-based care supporting both the refugee and host community.
Funding is provided by UNHCR to aid the influx of refugees and asylum seekers into Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. The number of refugees is projected to increase. This is due to the political instability in South Sudan, as the cease-fire agreement signed in Ethiopia has not yielded peace as anticipated.
Real Medicine Foundation (RMF) has hired a manager who is responsible for the overall implementation and coordination of planned interventions, whereas OPM and UNHCR do oversight functions. Activities are planned, coordinated, and reviewed on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis through coordination meetings chaired by OPM at the settlement level.
Objectives
- Emergency operations
- Care and maintenance of refugees and asylum seekers in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement through the delivery of quality health care services
- Ensure optimal access to reproductive health and HIV/AIDS services

More
Photos
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Numbers
Served
Results
21,000 treated nets were received and distributed to 6,789 households.
At the writing of this report 2863 households had been reached by VHTs in the mosquito
hang-up campaign and 4698 nets have been properly hung up.

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