PSI Launches Largest Malaria Project

NAIROBI, Kenya — PSI has launched the largest malaria social marketing project in the world at a ceremony attended by the country's top health officials. The project aims to increase use of insecticide-treated nets from 15% to 60% in the next five years by selling 2.3 million units of Supanet insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and 1.5 million Power Tab re-treatment kits.

The objective of the project is to create a "net culture" in Kenya. Malaria kills about 34,000 children under 5 annually, is the leading cause of mortality among children and takes up almost one-third of the country's health budget. The $24 million, five-year project is funded by the Department for International Development (DFID).

PSI presently markets ITNs in 12 countries in Africa, South America and Asia. In 2001, it marketed ITNs providing almost two million person-years of malaria protection, more than double the coverage of the previous year. It also marketed 658,182 kits for retreatment of the ITNs, an increase of 62% from the previous year.

Kenya's Minister for Health Professor Sam Ongeri, Permanent Secretary Julius Meme, Director of Medical Services Richard Muga, British High Commissioner Edward Clay, USAID Head of Mission Kiert Toh and PSI President Richard Frank were among the many dignitaries who attended the launch.

In line with the Abuja Declaration of April 2000, the Kenya government intends to increase coverage of ITNs from about 15% to 60%, and the Minister expressed confidence that taxes and tariffs on nets and chemicals for mosquito net treatment would soon be reduced. At 25%, the current duty on is a major impediment to the increase in ITN coverage.

Some of the items on display at the launch included the new Supanet kiosk, a small shop that will soon be introduced in malaria-endemic rural areas and newly-designed Supanet merchandise.

—Bernard Muthaka, Media Coordinator, PSI/Kenya

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On Kenyatta Avenue in Mombasa, Kenya, Supanet wall brandings cover the New Paradise Lodge.