Senegal Completes Landmark Net Campaign on Its Way to Eliminating Malaria

Photo by Clement Tardif for IntraHealth International.July 12, 2017The number of individuals protected frommalaria and other mosquito-borne illnesses in Senegal skyrocketed last year, thanks to a national long-lasting insecticide-treated bed net (or LLIN) campaign led byIntraHealth Internationalin partnership with Senegal ’s National Malaria Control Program. In 2015, only 8% of beds throughout the country were covered by a LLIN. By the end of the 2016 campaign, 91% were covered, according to project monitoring data.iMalaria is thethird-leading cause of death in the country. The entire population is at risk, but young children and pregnant women are among those most likely to suffer acute illness, complications, and death. Malaria contributes to the country ’shigh child mortality rate of 59 deaths per 1,000 live births.But Senegal has made significant progress toward eliminating malaria over the last decade. A combination of community-based and health-systems approaches —including routine insecticide-treated net distribution, improved malaria diagnosis and treatment protocols, and the use of intermittent preventive therapy among pregnant women—have put malaria on the decline.We have not totally overcome malaria, but we are on the right path to the final victory. -  Dr. Bouna Ndiaye, Chief Medical Officer of the District of Keur Massar.Malaria prevalence in children under the age of five fell from 6% nationwide in 2008 to 1.2% in 2014. Now, Senegal is ramping up its ef...

Source: IntraHealth International - July 12, 2017 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: intrahealth Source Type: news