a Malaria Control Programme official holding a Long Lasting Insecticide Net abused by one family in Gokwe recently.

Three of his children died before reaching the age of five due to a disease unknown to him and his kinsmen. What he only remembers is that before the children died, they had visibly shown signs of poor feeding, joint weakness, chills and rigors.

His neighbour Madondo has a similar problem. his three-year-old son Nyasha is almost succumbing to the same disease.

Relatives from other parts of the village who frequent these two households on routine visits also say where they come from children are dying after showing similar signs. These are symptoms of Malaria.

Malaria is perhaps the most devastating disease in Gokwe. The area is one of the areas most prone to the disease caused by a parasite spread by the anopheles mosquito. Victoria Falls, Hwange and Binga have also been proved to be malaria hot spots. Zimbabwe is ranked second in Africa in terms of being most vulnerable to the disease.

Other nations in that grouping include Madagascar, Botswana, South Africa, Swaziland and Namibia. Proven high transmission countries include Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Angola and Tanzania.

Only Mauritius, Lesotho and Sychelles are free from the disease.

Research also shows that pregnant women are the most affected in every area where malaria incidence rates are high.

Malaria causes still births, premature delivery, low birth weight and increased child deaths. in every country where this happens, there is an annual reduction of economic growth of 1.3% according to World Health Organisation statistics.

Globally between 300 and 500 million clinical malaria cases are recorded annually. Out of this total, 90% are in Africa South of the Sahara.

In Zimbabwe, the disease contributes over 30% of outpatient attendance at hospitals.

It has been found that many people are abusing preventive materials that are being distributed for free by the government and key stakeholders – particularly nets.

Dozens of nets are finding their way into the market where unsuspecting outsiders are buying them for a song. Shopping centres like Nyamuroro, Kuwirirana, Mtora, Maserukwe and Musorowenzou in Nembudziya have become the source markets for the nets.

But those who are buying them do so not because they are more conscious of the need to prevent malaria infections – they are using them to trap fish in local dams.

“We have our own traditional ways of preventing ourselves from diseases. We have survived through that for a long time,” said Taitus Shumba at Nembudziya B shops.

“As we approach the rainy season, fishing becomes so profitable in Binga. that is why there is that problem of misuse of the nets because people from there come with cash to buy them,” Edmore Dzvairo from the Nyoni village near Mtora Growth point told The Zimbabwean.

However, Dr Effison Dhodho, the Provincial Epidemiology and Disease Control Officer for Matabeleland North which covers Binga, said the locals who are abusing the LLINs by using them for fishing were aware of their own peril.

“The people who are given the nets are given basic knowledge on how useful the materials are for malaria prevention. No defence can be given as to why the beneficiaries would mistake that for fishing,” Dhodho said.

Fortunate Manjoro, the National Malaria Control Programme Communications Chief pointed out that more cases of abuse of LLINs had been unearthed in recent field trips to Gokwe. “We have heard cases where the nets are being used for preserving grains such as maize. it is not a secret that there is abuse of that facility,” she said.

“Headmen, Kraal heads and village heads are the very people who should be targeted in ending that problem. it has been realised that their subjects listen more to them than any stranger from outside.”

According to the 2008-2013 Strategic Plan document of the Health Ministry, the country aims to reduce the incidence of malaria from 95 per 1000 people of 2007 to 45 per 1000 people in 2013, and fatality rates from 4,5% to 2,5%.

Ministry of Health and Child welfare spokesperson, Donald Mujiri, said the fight to end lack of knowledge on the severity of malaria among vulnerable communities should be broad-based if desired results are to be achieved.

“there is need for all to empower communities on the dangers of the diseases and the need to embrace the cheap and easy ways of prevention,” he said.