Malaria Prevention Efforts
Over the last 11 years, with the help of Granny Connection and other donors, POL has been able to provide 61,000 long lasting insecticide treated nets and education to people vulnerable to malaria in Zambia. For 2022, our goal is to provide 18,000-20,000 malaria bed nets and education benefitting more than 65,000 children or 35,000 adults as each net can sleep up to 4 children or two adults. The continued provision of long lasting insecticide treated nets and education should bring us closer to our goal of eradicating malaria from Zambia.
Program Activities
Program activities included the provision of education and 14000 long lasting insecticide treated nets to vulnerable populations including all POL families and Microloan recipients. 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. The goals with the provision of education and insecticide treated 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 Results
To assess the impact of our malaria prevention efforts, a study was conducted in September 2019. 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 learned that:
97% of beneficiaries have knowledge regarding the proper use and storage of nets.
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 insecticide treated 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.