Physical Health Zambia Project #6187

Project Mosquito Nets

by Power of Love Foundation

Project Report | Oct 6, 2019
Findings of A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Our Malaria Prevention Efforts

By Alka Subramanian | Executive Director

Nets and Education provision in Kafue, Zambia

In 2019, generous donors such as yourself helped raise over $30,000 for Power of Love's malaria prevention program. These funds are being used to provide education and 11,500 long lasting insecticide treated nets to vulnerable populations in Zambia.

To assess the effectiveness of our malaria prevention effortrs, we conduct follow-up studies after every distribution. The results of a study conducted last month are discussed below.

Malaria Prevention Efforts to date in 2019

In May and June 2019, program activities included the provision of education and 5000 long lasting insecticide treated nets to vulnerable populations. Beneficiary communities were chosen based on the high transmission rates of malaria. Beneficiaries included HIV+ children, people infected with Tuberculosis, children under five years of age, older people, pregnant women, chronically ill patients, and children with disabilities as these populations are most vulnerable to malaria. For young children living with HIV, and HIV+ pregnant women malaria could be fatal.

Our goals with the provision of education and malaria bed nets was as follows:

Reduce the number of malaria cases and deaths in the community.
Improve the health of children
Improve school attendance and school performance.
Reduce clinic visits and increase productive working hours.
Educate beneficiaries on prevention of malaria, proper use, storage, and re-treatment of nets.

Study design and Findings

Information from beneficiaries was gathered via questionnaires and focus group discussions. A total of 1500 questionnaires were handed out and collected after a few days. Based on results from 1465 completed questionnaires, and focus group discussions we learnt that:

97% of beneficiaries have knowledge regarding the proper use and storage of nets. 42 beneficiaries did not have information about the re-treatment of nets. Based on this feedback, information regarding re-treatment will be provided to these homes.
On average, more than 2 people used one mosquito net.
The nets were clean and in good condition.
No beneficiary suffered from malaria.
All beneficiaries requested that more mosquito nets be provided next time as some members of the household did not receive nets.

These findings confirm WHO's (World Health Organization) results that sleeping under a good quality mosquito bed net is one of the cheapest and most effective methods of malaria prevention.

A few pennies can save lives. A mosquito bed net can sleep up to four young children or two adults and lasts up to two years. This implies that a single net costing less than $5, can keep 3-4 children malaria free, healthy and in school. Since malaria can be fatal for young children, children living with HIV, and HIV+ pregnant women, it costs just a few pennies to save lives.

Also, WHO recommends that mosquito bed nets should be available to everyone and free of cost to eradicate malaria.

Our Goal is for Zambia to be Malaria Free

Over the last 11 years we have been able to provide over 25,000 long lasting insecticide treated nets and education to people vulnerable to malaria in Zambia. For 2019, our goal is to provide an additional 6,500 nets to bring the total to 11,500 bed nets; this should bring us closer to our goal of eradicating malaria from Zambia.

Thanks for keeping thousands of children and families malaria free.

Children and families with new nets

Home of Happiness for disabled children

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Jul 28, 2019
We Are Making Progress Toward Eliminating Malaria from Zambia

By Alka Subramanian | Executive Director

Home of Happiness Children

Rationale for Eradicating Malaria

Working to end infectious diseases like malaria is vital if we are to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Preventing malaria, in addition to saving precious lives, provides countries huge economic benefits by freeing up scarce resources for developmental projects, improving worker productivity, and increasing school attendance. In addition, it is important to keep young children safe from malaria as they haven’t yet developed the immunity needed to prevent malaria from progressing to a severe, life-threatening stage.

Zambian Response to Malaria

Zambia has set a lofty goal of eliminating malaria by 2021 and is making huge strides toward this goal. Since July 2017, the Medicines for Malaria Venture and the Zambia National Malaria Elimination Centre have been working together to improve severe malaria case management. These organizations are using bicycle ambulances, an innovative approach, to ensure timely treatment for children severely ill with malaria. This new approach is saving lives.

Our Response to Malaria

Globally, we lose a child under five years of age every two minutes to malaria even though this disease is both preventable and curable. Since a child’s immunity is not fully developed, malaria can be life threatening for young children, children living with HIV, and for HIV+ pregnant women. Child-friendly antimalarials are available, but those medicines are still not reaching the children that need them. In 2015, in Sub-Saharan Africa, only 1 in 5 children younger than 5 years old with malaria infection and fever were treated with a World Health Organization-recommended first-line treatment. Even fewer receive a quality-assured, child-friendly version. Prevention is always a better option than treatment, but in the case of young children and children living with HIV, prevention saves lives.

Insecticide Treated Nets: According to the WHO, sleeping under a mosquito bed net regularly is the most cost-effective method of malaria prevention. Each net can sleep up to four young children or two adults. Accordingly, we provided 5000 long lasting insecticide treated nets and education to children and families in Lusaka, Zambia in the first six months of 2019. If children do not get contract malaria, their immune system gets stronger, they stay healthy and miss fewer days from school. The provision of education, in addition to nets, significantly increases the chances of beneficiary families not contracting malaria

Plan for the next six months: Our goal is to provide an additional 5000-6000 nets in the next five months. Provision of 10,000 nets in 2019, will keep 20,000 adults or 40,000 young children malaria free.

Malaria Can Be Eradicated

With collective global effort, it is possible to end malaria in the next few years.

Thanks for giving the gift of health to thousands of vulnerable children and their families.

Provision of Nets in Zambia

Recipients of Nets and Education

Nets Provision in a Church

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May 12, 2019
Let's Pledge to Eradicate Malaria

By Alka Subramanian | Executive Director

A typical beneficiary

Happy Mother’s Day. On this Mother’s Day, let's pledge to eradicate malaria and make health care accessible to all children irrespective of where they live.

Zambia has set a lofty goal of eliminating malaria by 2021. According to USAID, this goal is ambitious but within reach. To help Zambia achieve this goal, our plan is to provide 9,000-10,000 insecticide treated nets and education to families vulnerable to malaria. Provision of 9,000 nets in 2019, will keep 18,000 adults or 36,000 young children malaria free (as each net can sleep up to four young children or two adults). The provision of education, in addition to nets, significantly increases the chances of beneficiary families not contracting malaria. Sleeping under a net every night during malaria season, helps keep both adults and children malaria free. However, the impact on the health of children under five years of age and HIV+ children is huge, as staying malaria free strengthens their immune system. This in turn, enables them to attend school regularly.

Here are stories of typical families who benefit from your support:

Kay is a 10-year old who lives with her mom and five siblings in a three-room home with no water. She lost her father when she was two months old. Her mom sells fish to earn a living and can barely afford three meals a day. Kay’s family has been receiving education and mosquito bed nets for the last nine years. Her family uses the nets as demonstrated, keeps them in good condition, and re-treats the nets with insecticide every six months. They have not contracted malaria since they started receiving and using bed nets regularly. Kay is a second grader who loves school and attends regularly. Her mom would like the program to continue in the community.

Dan is a 10-year old boy who lives with his family in an impoverished neighborhood in Zambia. His family regularly sleeps under mosquito bed nets during malaria season. Dan’s mom is happy that her family has been malaria free and that Dan is attending school regularly as his health has improved.

Thanks for giving the gift of health to thousands of children like Kay and Dan.

A Child with a Net

A net can sleep 3-4 young children

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