By Emmanuel Olinga
KATAKWI
The Ministry of Health has today, 11th September 2025 officially launched deployment of 1,000 liters of bactivec and Griselesf Biolarvicide donated by the United Republic of Tanzania and brought by Her Excellency, Vice President Rtd Maj Hon Jessica Rose Alupo Epel.
The timely donation strengthens the district’s vector control efforts and demonstrates the value of regional cooperation in improving public health.
Dr. Alfred Mubangizi, Assistant Commissioner Vector Borne and NTD, environmental health who represented Hon Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, during the Biolarvicide launch, said the government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Health, championed disease prevention and public health, and public health remains deeply concerned about the burden of preventable illnesses that continue to affect people by causing suffering, loss of income, disabilities, and tragically death.
According to Dr. Mubangizi, effective mosquito control is still necessary, and larvicide is the most promising strategy. Larviciding, environmental manipulation, and habitat modification are all part of larval source management (LSM), which prevents mosquitoes from growing into adult vectors.
Uganda remains committed to achieving malaria elimination in accordance with Vision 2040 and the National Development Plan IV.
He claims that as a result, the ministry has supplied over 30 million long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and over 6000 liters of bactivec to 12 malaria epidemic districts, with Katakwi receiving 1000 liters alone.
In addition to existing malaria interventions such as indoor residual spraying and the distribution of mosque nets, the Ministry of Health has initiated another initiative to combat malaria’s fatal spread.
Laveside is being deployed into high malaria prevalence districts with the goal of eliminating mosquitoes at the lava stage. It will also be sprayed in mosquito breeding places such as stagnant water and wooded areas.
Geoffrey Omolo, LCV Katakwi District, praised the program, as Katakwi is another district with a significant mosquito population.
According to Christine Atim, Assistant District Health Officer for Katakwi District, this approach would lower malaria prevalence in the district.
She emphasized that malaria prevalence is increasing, as data shows that 5-6 out of every ten patients seen in the Out Patient Department (OPD) test positive for malaria.
She argued that, notwithstanding universal net distribution, nets must be redistributed in order to accommodate the expanding population.
The district remains constrained due to scarcity of malaria test kits, forcing the community to travel to clinics where they are undertreated, resulting in severe malaria.
According to Atim, implementing the initiative will help to reduce the high malaria prevalence.
Samuel Becker Opio, Deputy CAO Katakwi, expects that malaria would be reduced.
He challenged the district’s government health professionals to rally the community in order to better comprehend the initiative.
Her Excellency Rtd Maj Jessica Rose Alupo Epel, who launched the larvicide, urged local governments to prioritize larval source management in district budgets and work plans, health workers and VHTs to educate communities on identifying and eliminating mosquito breeding sites, and community members to take responsibility for environmental cleanliness and larval habitual destruction.
The vice president stated that Katakwi district has a high malaria frequency and plentiful breeding habitats such as rice fields, sand and brick dumps, stagnant water, and swamps.
She encouraged stakeholders, including leaders, health professionals, and citizens, to remember that malaria prevention is a shared duty.
According to technical experts at the Ministry of Health, particularly the Environmental Health Division and the National Malaria Elimination Division, the newly launched Biolarvicide is safe, effective, and ecologically friendly, created from natural substances that pose no threat to humans, animals, or the ecosystem.
