An unspecified number of mosquito nets is believed to have been destroyed after a fierce fire gutted a private warehouse rented by the National Medical Stores (NMS) Entebbe this morning.
The NMS spokesperson Ms Sheilah Nduhukire, says that working with the relevant authorities, they are currently assessing the extent of the damage and cause of the fire.
Nduhukire adds that NMS has already activated its business continuity plan to ensure uninterrupted supply of mosquito nets to Ugandans.
“We regret to inform the public that there was a fire incident at one of the private warehouses we had rented for storage of mosquito nets in Entebbe. Fortunately, we notified the emergency fire services and they responded promptly and they are working to extinguish the fire,” Nduhukire told KFM on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Health is currently running a free mosquito net distribution campaign meant to kick malaria out of Uganda.
According to the World Health Organisation, Uganda is ranked 3rd in global malaria burden with over 12 million cases reported annually.
This means that for every 10 sick people in Uganda, 3 are suffering from malaria.
But health experts say sleeping under an insecticide-treated mosquito net can reduce chances of contracting Malaria by 60%.
