[afro-nets] RFI: President's Malaria Initiative progress

["Philip Coticelli" <pcoticelli@gmail.com>]

RFI: President's Malaria Initiative progress
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I'm looking to confirm USAID's progress in Tanzania, Uganda and Angola (see below) on the President's Malaria Initiative.  If you or your colleagues are working in these countries or know something one way or the other, can you please get in touch with me.

Thank you,

Philip
mailto:pcoticelli@fightingmalaria.org
+1-301-801-5801

http://www.usaid.gov/press/factsheets/2006/fs060608.html

 Results -- *Less than one year after it began, PMI is demonstrating results*:

*Angola: *Southern Angola is prone to periodic epidemics of malaria. PMI supported a spraying campaign in two southern provinces, including the training of 210 spray personnel. Spraying began in early December 2005 and provided coverage for 555,000 people by the end of March 2006.
*Tanzania:* Beginning in mid-December 2005, PMI distributed 130,000 free LLINs through local public clinics, more than doubling existing coverage rates of pregnant women and children under age five on Zanzibar and nearby Pemba Island. This distribution was accompanied by a communication campaign to educate the population on the proper use of the LLINs. In total, more than 200,000 people are covered by this campaign.
*Uganda: *To address the alarming rates of malaria mortality in internally displaced person (IDP) camps in northern Uganda, PMI began distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs), free of charge, to children and pregnant women. By the end of March 2006, PMI provided approximately 219,000 LLINs through house-to-house distribution methods and through antenatal care clinics, benefiting approximately 300,000 people. In addition, PMI procured 298,000 pediatric doses of ACTs for free distribution to treatment sites in the camps beginning in May.

Upcoming Activities -- *In the coming months, PMI will conduct a series of high-impact activities*:
*Indoor residual spraying *
In June, PMI will support an IRS campaign in Kabale district in *Uganda* to provide coverage for about 500,000 people. PMI is currently training 373 sprayers and supervisors to implement the program. PMI will purchase insecticides and support an IRS campaign in August to cover the entire population of Zanzibar island in *Tanzania*, benefiting an estimated 1 million people. As part of the program, community campaigns will encourage people to open their homes to spray teams and also emphasize proper ITN use.

*Insecticide-treated Nets*
In June, PMI will support the re-treatment of 715,000 existing ITNs with insecticide in 19 districts in *Uganda*. The campaign will benefit more than 1.1 million people. In *Angola*, PMI will support the distribution of LLINs to children under age five and pregnant women as part of a combined nationwide measles vaccination/ITN distribution campaign. The July campaign will provide one ITN to each of about 130,000 pregnant women and 700,000 additional households (830,000 total ITNs), which translates to nationwide ITN coverage of approximately 30 percent of pregnant women and under-five children. In *Tanzania*, PMI will begin support of a large-scale program to provide ITNs to infants through routine immunization services.

*Lifesaving drugs *
The initial shipment of PMI-funded ACTs for *Tanzania *(about 350,000 doses) is expected to arrive in August. PMI, in collaboration with partners, will support the training of Tanzanian health workers on the use of these ACTs and Global Fund-purchased ACTs, due to arrive in Tanzania in late 2006. The initial shipment of PMI-funded ACTs for *Angola* (about 450,000 doses) is expected to arrive in late summer.

*Treatment for pregnant women*
With NGO support, PMI is expected to begin malaria-in-pregnancy activities in Angola in late summer.

--
Philip Coticelli
mailto:pcoticelli@gmail.com