Impact of Project Mosquito Net in 2015

Thanks again for supporting Power of Love’s Malaria Prevention Program in Zambia. As a result of your generosity we were able to provide 2000 long lasting insecticide treated bed nets and education on malaria prevention to children and families vulnerable to malaria last June. Your ongoing support has helped keep children malaria free, healthy, and in school.

Over the last five years, we have been able to provide 8,800 long lasting insecticide treated nets and education on malaria prevention to families in Zambia. These nets were used by an estimated 35,200 children (as each net can sleep up to four young children) or 17,600 adults (as each net can sleep two adults).

Impact

In order to assess the impact of our Malaria Prevention Program, we conducted a follow-up study to assess the effectiveness of our malaria prevention program. The study was conducted in September 2015 with the goal of assessing:

If the nets are being used every night
If the nets are maintained and stored as demonstrated during the malaria prevention day activities
If the beneficiaries know how to re-treat nets
If there has been a decline in the incidence of malaria

Results of the Study

We interviewed 426 women beneficiaries and based on our conversation we concluded that:

Nets are used every night. This is important because, according to the World Health Organization, sleeping under a mosquito bed net is one of the most cost effective and easiest ways to prevent malaria.
Most beneficiaries had increased knowledge about the proper storage and maintenance of nets. Four grandmothers did not know how to use the nets and they were provided with another demonstration on proper use and storage.
Most beneficiaries knew how to re-treat nets, a task that is required every six months and that is available free of cost from government agencies.
Each net was being used to sleep at least 2-3 children or two adults. This implies that our malaria prevention program benefits approximately 4000-6000 children or 4000 adults each year.
Most women were more knowledgeable about malaria prevention and symptoms of malaria.
Most nets were in good condition (not torn).
There is a reduced incidence of malaria in the community.
Improved child health has resulted in fewer missed school days.

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Need for Nets

Follow-up interviews with nets recipients indicate that the nets distributed over the last 2-3 years are in good condition and are being used as directed. However, we need several thousand more nets as most residents in our community live on less than a dollar a day and cannot afford to purchase a net.

Globally, malaria is still a problem - there were an estimated 200 million cases of malaria and 600,000 deaths in 2013. Ninety percent of malaria deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, and this disease is the leading cause of death for children under five in Africa. Over 400,000 children die needlessly every year from the easily preventable and treatable disease. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable to malaria.

According to the World Health Organization, 90% of families with a bed net use it. However, in 2013 only 50% of families in sub-Saharan African slept beneath a mosquito bed net. This highlights a need to provide nets to an additional 50% of the families in Sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, a decrease in the usage of nets can lead to a major resurgence of the disease and can reverse the gains achieved in preventing malaria-related deaths over the last several years.

Request for Funds for Next Distribution

At this time we are raising funds to provide 2000 long lasting insecticide treated nets and education on prevention of malaria before the next malaria season in 2016. A donation of $10 can prevent malaria for a family of four young children and two adults. Every little bit counts as a family can be malaria free for just pennies per person.

Thank you for your caring and dedication to keeping children malaria-free in Zambia.

Topic: Project Mosquito Net

Category of this Blog Post

Women & Children's Health

Post Type

Program Updates