KAMPALA - The Ugandan health ministry says one million people have had malaria in the past two months.

Government officials say prolonged rainfall in June and a reduction in the use of mosquito bed-nets are to blame, as those distributed in 2017 had begun to age.

The government distributed 38 million nets to households across the country between February 2017 and March 2018.

“Nets are designed by the manufacturer to last for three years, unfortunately there’s been some abuse and some nets have gotten lost and have been misused - some have developed holes,” Jimmy Opigo - assistant commissioner of health services at Uganda's National Malaria Control Programme - told BBC Newsday.

“We have worked quickly with donors and come next year February we’re giving a fresh set of nets to the population.” (FA)