Project Mosquito Nets

Zambia has made significant progress in malaria control even though it is among the 20 countries with the highest malaria incidence and mortality globally. The country has put in place measures, such as provision of bed nets and training of health providers in the management of severe malaria. In 2018, 80% of households owned at least one insecticide treated net (ITN), and in rural areas 77% of children slept under an ITN. However, progress toward malaria control and prevention worsened in 2020 due to high rainfall, ageing insecticide nets, and insufficient indoor spraying. The ongoing pandemic has aggravated this situation as fewer people seek treatment to stay safe from COVID. For the last 18 months our goal has been to keep families in our program educated on COVID prevention, know how to use and store bed nets, and sleep under an ITN during malaria season.  

To keep families safe from malaria, 8,000 long lasting insecticide treated nets and education on malaria were provided in 2021. Our plan is to provide an additional 7,000 ITN's before the next malaria season that starts in September/October. This will bring the total number of ITN’s provided to 15,000 benefiting up to 60,000 children or 30,000 adults as each ITN can sleep up to four young children or two adults.

Thanks for keeping vulnerable chidlren and families malaria free and healthy. 

Links:

• About Project Mosquito Nets
• Why end malaria?
• Impact of our Malaria Prevention Program

Wishing all moms, a beautiful Mother’s Day. Today we are thinking of the mothers and aunts in Africa whose families are vulnerable to malaria but do not have the information on how to prevent malaria or the resources to purchase mosquito bed nets.

Zambia is among the 20 countries with the highest malaria incidence and mortality globally. The country has put in place measures, such as provision of bed nets and training of health providers in the management of severe malaria, to address these issues. However, as of the end of 2018, about 40% of households did not have enough nets and in rural areas this number is higher.

To keep vulnerable families safe from malaria, 8,000 long lasting insecticide treated nets and education on prevention of malaria and proper use of nets was provided in the first four months of 2021, as the malaria season runs from February to May. The provision of nets took place in a safe manner and COVID education was provided. Regular use of nets will reduce the incidence of malaria in beneficiary communities, so that adults miss fewer days from work and children can attend school. 

Going Forward

Our goal is to provide an additional 5,000 to 7,000 long lasting insecticide nets and education before the next malaria season starts in October.

Thanks for keeping children and families free from malaria and COVID-19

Links:

• About Project Mosquito Nets
• Why end malaria?
• Impact of our Malaria Prevention Program