The overall objective of the activity was to raise awareness on malaria prevention, malaria case detection and prompt management among the learners and the teachers in the schools in Dadamu Sub County, Arua city.
The Specific objectives of the dialogue on Malaria were to:
- To provide up to date information to participants on malaria prevention and care among learners and teachers.
- To establish the factors that affect uptake of malaria prevention and care services among the learners and teachers in Dadamu Sub County.
- To provide onsite malaria testing and treatment to eligible pupils and teachers
- Refer eligible pupils and teachers for other specialized care e.g. other medical conditions, GBV, legal services positive on malaria test to health facilities for more care.
- To update the learners and teachers on the malaria Smart school, malaria smart class and malaria smart home strategy of preventing malaria
Achievements/Results obtained
Objective one: To provide up to date information to learners and teachers on malaria prevention and management at school, class and home.
- Seven (7) malaria sensitization sessions were conducted in seven (7) primary schools
- IHDI and health facility team conducted dialogue meetings on malaria and health education to the participants outlining the causes of malaria, the age category at risk of malaria and the common malaria prevention methods such as use of mosquito nets, planting mosquito repellants at homes and closing doors and windows early and clearing of breading sites for mosquitos.
Objective two: To establish the factors that contribute to low uptake of malaria prevention and care services among pupils and in the primary schools in Dadamu Sub County.
Several factors were identified by the pupils to be the key drivers of malaria in Dadamu Sub County as follows;
- Lack of mosquito nets. On average, 56% of the Pupils said they had not slept under mosquito net the night before the health talk due lack of mosquito nets.
- They lack knowledge on the use of mosquito nets. When given mosquito net to show how its hang, most of the pupils did not know. IHDI team had to demonstrate to them the right way of hanging and tacking in of mosquito nets.
- Poor attitude about net use. Some pupils said nets cause itching of skin, others said nets attract bedbugs.
- Poor health seeking behavior. Some children would be sick, but don’t get permission to get early treatment till they become so sick that they miss school, including teachers.
- Lack of knowledge about mosquito repellant plants.