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About This ProgramTanzania’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Launches New Campaign to Improve Malaria Treatment Introduction Some new faces and voices are appearing on televisions, radios, and posters throughout Tanzania to promote awareness of a new Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW)/National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) initiative to improve malaria treatment nationwide. The initiative includes national access to effective malaria treatment in Tanzania, via new Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs) as well as a communication campaign to raise awareness among vulnerable groups to seek early treatment for malaria, to treat malaria correctly using the new ACTs, and to complete the full 3-day treatment. Tanzania’s new ACT treatment policy – translated in Kiswahili as Dawa Mseto Ya Malaria – will be officially launched on Africa Malaria Day, 25th April, 2007 in the Kagera Region, in Western Tanzania. Since December 2006 the MoHSW/NMCP, under the leadership of the Honorable Minister of Health and Social Welfare, David HOMELI MWAKYUSA has already made the ACT Arthemeter+Lumefantrine (Coartem ®) available in all government health facilities and faith based organizations. The campaign has mobilized support from two nationally famous music groups--the African Stars Band-Twanga Pepeta and Parapanda, from a well-known television and radio announcer Julius Nyaisanga, and from testimonials by parents whose children have experienced some of the many dangerous and life-threatening consequences of malaria. A Heavy Burden of Malaria in Tanzania In Tanzania, an estimated 16-18 million cases of malaria occur each year, resulting in more than 100,000 deaths. Malaria accounts for some 30% of the national disease burden, 35 % of hospitalizations and 37% of deaths for children under five. Among pregnant women, malaria and anemia are responsible for 25% of maternal deaths. Prompt and Effective Treatment with ACTs – Dawa Mseto Ya Malaria Prompt and effective treatment of malaria episodes is crucial to reducing illness and death among these vulnerable groups. However, resistance of the malaria parasite to common antimalarial treatment decreases their effectivenes. To combat resistance to the first-line treatment previously used in Tanzania, Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine (SP) the MOHSW/NMCP has launched the new malaria case management strategy using Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs). Ensuring Equitable Access to ACTs As the price of the new combination therapies can be prohibitive for much of the population, Tanzania’s MoHSW/NMCP is providing the ACTs free of charge for all children under 5 and at a subsidized price for the rest of the population. For over fives who cannot pay the subsidized price, the Government of Tanzania is providing a special system that will allow economically vulnerable populations to receive treatments for free. Raising awareness and understanding of the new malaria case management policy Tanzania’s national communication campaign for the new ACT policy uses multi-media tools including audio and video ads aired on television, radio, and via mobile video units throughout Tanzania, posters placed in all health facilities, and an information kit targeted to medical professionals and influential leaders (eg. members of parliament, religious leaders …). A 30 minute documentary, narrated by Julius Nyaisanga, a nationally-recognized television and radio broadcaster in Tanzania, was also developed. Video production was managed by Real 2 Reel Film Productions (http://www.real2reel.org/). National music stars have been engaged in promoting the key messages of the campaign, including the African Stars Band-Twanga Pepeta and Parapanda who have created two songs to reinforce the three key objectives of the MoHSW campaign : Objective 1: Improve recognition of and response time to malaria symptoms in children under five Mobilizing partners The MoHSW/NMCP has mobilized its partners, including the Medical Stores Department for procurement and distribution of the ACTs, the Tanzania Food and Drug Authority to provide quality assurance, Population Services International (PSI) to develop, pre-test, and disseminate the communication campaign materials, Africare and PLAN International to provide social mobilization to educate rural communities, and Ifakara Research Centre to research usage of the new drugs, and TaNAAM to mobilize regional forums. The campaign is funded by the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
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