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Rwanda: Free Net Distribution Protects Children From Malaria KIGALI, Rwanda, December 14, 2006 — Building on experiences in Togo and Niger, Rwanda's National Integrated Malaria Control Program implemented an ambitious plan to distribute one long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN) to every child under five who participated in a nationwide measles vaccination campaign. As in much of sub-Saharan Africa, Rwanda is hit hard by malaria, which accounts for more than half of all health center visits and hospital mortality. Prevention is an effective method of controlling the disease, but obstacles to comprehensive net coverage abound, from logistics, infrastructure issues, sales barriers and more. Including an LLIN with every vaccination proved to be a highly cost-effective way to rapidly increase coverage of vulnerable groups to protect them from malaria. The unit cost of distributing 1.3 million nets over a five week period to 2000 vaccination points nationwide in Rwanda was just $0.19, far less than typical. PSI managed the distribution of the 1.3 million nets, utilizing trucks, landcruisers, motorcycles, bicycles, and even canoes to reach deep into the countryside. Rwanda's national malaria control program demonstrated the strong national leadership required to ensure success in all aspects of the campaign — from financing, procurement, and customs clearance to logistics management, including correct estimates of the district needs, transportation, secure storage, and crowd management during the campaign distribution. Financial support for the initiative came from key international donors, including the Global Fund, USAID, UNICEF and the WHO. Also crucial to the effort were the Rwanda Ministry of Health, CAMERWA (the central tendering agency) and UNDP (who handled procurement). Following on this outstanding success, Rwanda is now planning to conduct an assessment of household ITN coverage, to reinforce communication campaigns for net usage among vulnerable groups, and to scale up combination therapy delivery for malaria treatment through public, private, and community based channels.
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