Close-Down of the Second Universal Coverage Campaign for Long Lasting Insecticidal MosquitoNets (LLINS)
Author: Denis Okethwangu
The universal coverage campaign (UCC) for long lasting insecticidal mosquito nets (LLINs) came to a close on the 17 March 2018. The year-long campaign was led by the Ugandan Ministry of Health with support from Global Fund; the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) through UNICEF; the US Agency for International Development/President’s Malaria Initiative (USAID/PMI); and Against Malaria Foundation (AMF) among other funders. This was the 2nd campaign after the first, conducted in 2014.
It is envisaged that, with these campaigns, LLIN ownership will significantly increase to protect at least 85% of the Ugandan population. The close down of this campaign was marked by a colourful function in Sheema District. The function was graced by the President of Uganda, who personally gave out a mosquito net each to four persons in the district. Other dignitaries that at tended this function were the US Ambassador, government officials, and heads of partner organisations.
This function was designed to coincide with Wave 4b of the campaign targeting Mbarara, Sheema, Kasese, Kagadi and Bundibugyo districts. The campaign was run in seven waves to cover the entire country. Wave 1 conducted in February 2017 covered Northern Uganda districts, including West Nile. Wave 2 in April 2017 covered most Eastern Uganda districts. Wave 3 covered the remaining Eastern and a few Western Uganda districts, and was conducted in May 2017. Wave 4a conducted in June 2017 covered most other Western Uganda districts.
Wave 5, in November 2017, covered Central Uganda districts except Wakiso & Kampala Districts, which were covered in Wave 6 in Jan & Feb 2018 respectively. Wave 4b was the last wave of the campaign. By the end of Wave 5, the coverage target of 85% had been exceeded, and was at 90%. According to the National Malaria Control Program, >24 million nets had been distributed to over 38 million people in 109 districts in 7,000 parishes in over 54,000 villages.
