Seeking a stronger line of defence against malaria for millions of people.
Challenges
Mosquitoes’ resistance to insecticides threatens to undermine progress against malaria. Although the number of new malaria cases has fallen dramatically over the past 15 years, progress has recently slowed. According to the World Health Organization, there were 228 million cases of malaria worldwide in 2018, compared to 219 million cases in 2017.
Solutions
Mosquito nets provide a physical barrier against mosquitoes, and treating the nets with insecticide makes them lethal for mosquitoes that land on them. One of the most effective means of preventing malaria is sleeping under a long-lasting insecticidal net. Making these nets available in malaria-endemic countries could save millions of lives.
“By investing in insecticide-treated nets and other tools, the Global Fund partnership has greatly reduced the burden of malaria. This project is a step toward accelerating impact by embracing innovation – with the ultimate goal of malaria elimination.”
PETER SANDS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE GLOBAL FUND
The impact we are seeking
The pilot will test the performance of the nets under real conditions in select countries in sub-Saharan Africa and generate data to guide international policy on their use. The initiative is expected to fend off 37.5 million cases of malaria and save 92,000 lives in the five years beyond the project’s end. A successful pilot is expected to open up a market for the new nets and bring about competition among manufacturers, leading to lower prices and a sustainable, affordable tool for malaria-endemic countries.
Lead implementer IVCC will head a project consortium comprising the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Population Services International (PSI) and PATH.
[*] Unitaid and the Global Fund are each investing US$33 million in the four-year project.
Progress so far
Activities related to the randomized control trial in Benin have begun with the nets distribution and the collection of entomological data sets.
In November 2019, Burkina Faso was the first country to distribute the new insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
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