In Luwero district during the 2022/23 financial year, a total of 70 people died due to Malaria, according to the District Health Report on Mortality and Morbidity.
This report indicated that Malaria was the leading cause of death, claiming the lives of 40 males and 30 females. Among the victims, 24 males and 13 females were under the age of five.
The report also highlighted other leading causes of death, including pneumonia, which resulted in 31 fatalities, followed by peptic ulcers causing 28 deaths, and hypertension causing 27 deaths. Overall, health centers reported a total of 440 deaths from various diseases.
However, the report also showed a decline in Malaria deaths compared to the previous year, dropping from 99 recorded deaths in 2021/22 to 70 deaths in 2022/23.
Despite this decline, Dr. Innocent Nkonwa, the Luwero district health officer, emphasized that Malaria remained a significant challenge for the healthcare sector and more efforts were required to eliminate it.
To address this issue, Dr. Nkonwa urged residents to consistently sleep under mosquito nets and seek prompt treatment when they notice any signs of Malaria.
He also called upon the National Medical Stores to ensure a timely supply of drugs to treat patients diagnosed with the disease.
Richard Ssimbwa, the LC 3 Chairperson of Luwero sub-county, added that preventing Malaria deaths would require sensitizing residents to avoid self-medication and instead visit health centers for proper care.
He also criticized the National Medical Stores for inadequate drug supplies, which led some patients to resort to self-medication and others to lose their lives.
Brenda Nabukenya, the Luwero District Woman Member of Parliament, expressed her intention to petition parliament over the failure of the National Medical Stores to deliver drugs to health centers, which she believed contributed to patient deaths.
She specifically pointed out delays in medical supplies due to funding issues from the Ministry of Finance.
The Luwero district health department mentioned that health centers received medical supplies for four quarters out of six within the financial year.
However, the district had not yet received any medical supplies since the beginning of the 2023/24 financial year. Sheila Nduhukire, the Principal Public Relations Officer of the National Medical Stores, attributed the supply delays to the late receipt of funds from the Ministry of Finance.