Malaria No More and Malaria No More UK announced their first joint investment in Africa, extending the organization's work in Botswana to reach universal coverage. The investment will work to ensure consistent use of mosquito nets to help families protect themselves and their children from malaria and explore new, innovative ways of tracking malaria cases.
The joint investment follows a pilot project in early 2009 by Malaria No More in partnership with the Government of Botswana the William J. Clinton Foundation in the country's Okavango district. The pilot project, a 32,000 mosquito net distribution and education program, reached 90% of households in Okavango. After the distribution, a survey showed that net ownership had dramatically improved from 9.4% of households in 2007 to 91% in 2009. Net usage also increased from 6.4% of women in 2007 to 38.9% of women after the distribution.
"Malaria No More is thrilled to be working with our partners at Malaria No More UK to leverage our first joint investment for outsized results," said Scott Case, CEO of Malaria No More. "Botswana is a leader in Africa's effort to end malaria and has achieved remarkable progress in recent months; we look forward to helping the country continue to write its success story against malaria. We are so grateful to the thousands of American and British citizens who have made our work in Botswana possible with their generosity."
Much of Botswana's population is at-risk of malaria, but the African country's National Malaria Control program is working with international partners in an aggressive effort to end the disease. The government of Botswana has embraced the goal set by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to provide universal access to malaria control interventions-including mosquito nets, safe indoor spraying and effective medicines-by the end of 2010.
"Malaria No More UK continually seeks to maximise impact so it's exciting and appropriate for us to join forces with our US colleagues to facilitate a project that will help Botswana rid itself of malaria," said Sarah Kline, Executive Director of Malaria No More UK. "We're grateful to the UK public who have made this investment possible and responded to our message that a £5 donation will buy a life saving net and protect a mother and her child for up to five years".
The Malaria No More investments will extend the impact of the pilot project by funding an integrated malaria control program involving:
1. "Hang up and keep up" net distribution starting in November 2009 to supply additional nets to households in Okavango that do not yet own one and ensure usage of nets from the pilot project.
2. Follow-up evaluation of the pilot project to investigate future use of nets during the peak of next year's malaria transmission season, to inform future strategies in Botswana's-and all of Africa's-fight against malaria.
3. Mobile phone-based reporting pilot program to replicate Zanzibar's successful use of mobile phones to report on malaria cases in remote health facilities. The pilot aims to improve the accuracy, timeliness and geographic pinpointing of confirmed malaria cases.
About Malaria No More
Malaria No More is determined to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015-and we're helping the world get it done. Malaria No More leverages high-impact communications to engage the world, global advocacy to rally leadership and strategic investments to accelerate progress. Find out how you can help us reach our deadline and make malaria no more at www.MalariaNoMore.org.
Malaria No More UK
Malaria No More UK is committed to ending suffering and death caused by malaria, a preventable disease. Working with governments, corporations and the public, Malaria No More UK combines a powerful blend of funding, advocacy, popular campaigning to achieve the following UN goals of universal access by 2010 and ending malaria deaths by 2015. www.MalariaNoMore.org.uk
