Zambia: Police in Mporokoso have recovered 13 bales of mosquito nets allegedly stolen at Chisha Mwamba Rural Health Center. The mosquito nets were provided by the district administration as a part of their mandate to help the communities in fighting malaria.
The contraband was scheduled for distribution to communities in the district. The administration is conducting a mass distribution exercise to ensure that mosquito nets are available to every home.
The theft of the mosquito nets allegedly took place between December 27 and December 28. Northern Province Police Commanding Officer Lucky Munkondya confirmed the development.
She shared that his officers in Mporokoso on December 28, received a report that 13 out of the 94 bales of GRZ-tagged mosquito nets had gone missing.
Munkondya revealed that the case was reported by James Musimuko. He is the charge of the healthcare facility. According to him, the contraband was stolen between the 27th and 28th of December 2023, at the health facility.
“On 28th December 2023, around 16:00, one of the staff at the facility found that the mortice lock where the mosquito nets were kept was tempered with and later discovered that 13 bells were missing.“ Munkondya said.
The Provincial Commanding Officer said upon receiving the report her officers commenced investigations. After the official investigation, the force has officially recovered all 13 bells of mosquito nets.
The suspects are currently on the run and as a result, the officials have not made any arrests in the matter.
The Government with support from its cooperating partners, is currently conducting a mass distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets in all the districts in Northern Province to combat malaria.
The program is part of the government’s agenda to eliminate malaria in Zambia by 2030. The officials of the Ministry of Health have come together to find a way to combat the disease.