North-Western Province Minister Daniel Kalenga has directed District Commissioners in the province to report any misuse of Insecticide Treated mosquito Nets (ITNs) to the police as it is an offence under the public health Act.
Mr Kalenga said his office has received reports that some ITNs are used for catching fish, making wedding dresses and food covers by street vendors and that this was hampering the fight against malaria.
He said such acts should not be allowed adding that there should not be hesitation to reprimand anyone found wanting.
Mr Kalenga issued the directive in Solwezi yesterday during the launch of the 454,815 Insecticide Treated mosquito Nets door to door distribution to be conducted in all the seven districts in the province.
He noted with sadness that according to the 2010 malaria indicator survey results revealed a reduction of 31 percent household ownership and use of ITNs in North-western and 33 percent reduction usage by children under the age of five.
Mr Kalenga urged community leaders such as Chiefs, Headmen and community volunteers to emphasise messages that promote and increase awareness on the correct usage of the nets at household level.
He added that there is need to encourage positive behaviour change on the use of ITNs correctly and consistently if the malaria related Millennium Development Goal is to be attained.
Speaking at the same function, Anglican Church Central Africa Archbishop Albert Chama said the church will continue partnering with government in ensuring that the country attains a malaria free status.
Zambia Anglican Council and Society for family Health has partnered with government to distribute the long lasting ITNs procured by the global funding to communities in the province as a malaria prevention intervention.
ZANIS
I have used them to catch fish and they do a very good job. Villagers sell because they know they get some again. About wedding dresses I am not sure, it appears like an insult to the villagers.
Pa zed,anything is possible.
What do you expect when 90% of the people in the nation are so poor and deprived of basic necessities of life by greedy leaders? One would rather use the Mosquito net to catch fish & put food on the table for the family than use it for the intended purpose on an empty stomach….. Innov
why are they now behaving like the Luapula chaps..Northwesterners..are you one people..?hahahaha
why does it have to be abt tribes – people are peole please
Chawamapo ukulya than ukukanalwala mu nsala.umu bemba teti afwe ne nsala iyoo.
To the govt. Put food on my table and i wont misuse the nets or better still sell them.
ubuchushi ebulenga.
Making wedding dresses, really um!
#3 Which villagers are you talking about – the ones who have just produced a bumper harvest? I think we have to take responsibility for our own actions. These people have been provided with these nets by the same govt you condemn to prevent them from being infected with a disease that has the potential to kill themselves and indeed their children but somehow you try and twist it with falsehoods about 90% of people suffering from hunger when the  govt has ensured that the country has had the biggest bumper harvest in its  history and is indeed one of the few countries in Africa where the price of food has actually COME DOWN. It would be good if people like you would argue with facts and not on emotions driven by hatred of the current regime due to your sense of Bemba supremacy.
just make your point and leave out tribalistic comments. proud BEMBA if you must know since you want to go there.
Lusaka times……..which normal person will make a wedding dress out of  mosquito net??? Be seroius with what you write…….for catching fish its trueÂ
The same MMD government says that people have been brought development when the same people cannot even afford fishnets!!
stop parading old women like that!!
Where is Mushota? She can buy from her motherland a wedding dress made out of mosquito net. This could be perfect for her!
hahahahahaha but abantu tabomfwa kwena wedding dresses sure lol
You gotta love the creativity of Zambians! Wedding dresses ka?
Have a mosquito bite free wedding. Make the dress and veil out of a mosquito net!! loving it!
Pulumasaka, yes NW Lundas and Luapula Lundas are the same people and I am proud to be the product of Mwanta Yamvwa. On a serious note this is a question of priority, can they put food on the table or worry about getting an illness they may get or not? I am not defending this but again education is the answer.
@# 14, Kwena ulimukali
Hahahaha i think it can just put a thick lining inside basi ni banabwinga on the chair.#7 i agree with you 100% the govt has done a good job agriculture wise there is plenty food unless che those who are lazy there are the ones without food.
On the bright side my cousins are wise in catching those fishes yummy yummy yum; wedding dress to survive those evening receptions our women are geniuses. This story making my Sunday happy PRICELESS lol. Thanks LT for giving us a non government infused political story to drool over. can’t they make cheap nets to sell to our people?
Ichalo chasala kukwata amano. If the government can afford to give away geysers to people who don’t have water, a few fishing nets cannot affect the budget of the country. The river are permanently affected because the mosquito nets get’s everything regardless of size.Â
#7, Why is it that we are talking about poverty and you have to drag in your tribal sentiments.We are all Zambians and we know that poverty affects all areas of  the country not only North-western province. If the bumper is real and felt in all areas of Zambia this illegal fishing would not be taking place because people will have food on their tables.Â
It is Poverty, Yes malaria can be prevented if people are living health that include Food. Fish is a protein that help rebuild tissues and repair broken bones. So malaria cannot be prevented when people are starving Mwiisho Ba Kalenga. Pls let the money from the Mine help us in the Villages nto benefiting the folks in the offices that is why corruption or lies are spreading to Villages.
Help build a health community with Community Support not impossing on us!!!
I dont understand these Luvale’s and Kaonde’s, dont they know that Zambezi District has the highest rate of Maleria Infections in Southern Africa. Maleria Kills! Work hard and buy proper nets, problem with these chaps is after they are hired by the big mines (Lumwana, Kanseshi) they get paid their big salaries, they quit their jobs and Buy bicycles and Radios….bunch of Dumb Dumbs… their poverty nivozi funila che!!!
Its the Govt thats f.o.o.lish and wasteful. Why distribute mosquito nets in villages when its a known fact that villagers dont die from malaria? Besides, villagers have protective herbs against mosquitoes. Its weaklings in towns and whites that die from malaria.
Zambians do amazing things. I learn that those from the east eat rats, others eat monkeys and others eat ants and grasshoppers. Now you have some making wedding dresses out of mosquito nets. May be the new Zambian tourist motto is appropriate: Let us explore.
@ blue blood hahaha