MASVINGO - Mosquito nets provided free of charge by the World Health Organization (WHO) in malaria-prone areas such as Matabeleland North and some parts of Masvingo Province have been converted into fishing nets by starving villagers.The Zimbabwean recently witnessed villagers using the donated nets to catch fish at Dekadrum in Hwange District of Matabeleland North Province. Some of the nets had the official logo of WHO and were being used to catch brims. Villagers in the Dekadrum area, which is close to the mighty Zambezi River, make a living from selling fish to traders.
‘These nets are very strong and ideal for catching brims. I can not waste this net by protecting myself from mosquitoes when I can make a living out of the nets. I do not have problems with mosquitoes because I use cow dug to protect my self,’ said Herbert Phiri, one of the villagers.
According to UNICEF malaria is responsible for about 12 per cent of all outpatient consultations and 10-15 per cent of hospital admissions, causing 1 000 to 1 500 deaths annually.