Nets Put Malaria Protection At Reach of Poor Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Families in 18 poor countries can now purchase affordable insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) that will provide up to five years of protection from malaria, a disease that kills one child every 30 seconds.

There are more than 300 million malaria cases every year, resulting in at least one million deaths. Yet less than 5 percent of children in malarial areas sleep under ITNs, which have been shown to cut childhood mortality from malaria by 20 percent. A 2002 World Health Organization report on malaria mentioned ITNs as "particularly strongly recommended programs that could be greatly expanded."

PSI is the world's leading non-profit organization marketing ITNs, doing so in 18 countries in Africa, Asia and South America. Since launching its first ITN product eight years ago, PSI has sold over 3.6 million nets and 4.6 million insecticide retreatment kits, which make nets twice as effective in preventing malaria. PSI estimated its 2002 sales will prevent 28 million malaria cases.

Africa Malaria Day on April 25 marks the third anniversary of the Abuja Declaration, which committed 44 African countries to reach specific targets on malaria control and prevention by 2005 such as a target of 60% of ITN coverage of pregnant women and infants. The theme for this year's event is: "Insecticide-treated nets and effective malaria treatment for pregnant women and young children by 2005."

PSI uses social marketing techniques, pricing and selling the nets so they are accessible to the poor. "Our mission is to serve low-income people," said Brian Smith, Senior ITN Advisor. "Most cannot afford ITNs or they live in rural areas beyond the reach of the commercial sector. While we work with private partners to expand their role in delivering commercial ITNs, we focus on ensuring that subsidized ITNs reach the low-income majority. By contributing to a massive increase in ITN use, we can help many break the cycle of poverty and disease that decreases productivity and increases dependence on donor subsidies."

The argument against subsidizing ITNs has been that subsidies could not be sustained unless rich nations were prepared to provide funding indefinitely. The WHO report pointed out that these diseases are not only the product of poverty; they also create poverty. "You don't need to sustain it (donations from wealthy countries) indefinitely...Healthy people can get themselves out of poverty," said David L. Heymann, head of communicable disease programs at WHO.

• Archives

As part of PSI's malaria prevention efforts, a health center nurse in Malawi explains the benefits of using insecticide-treated bed nets to a young mother.