Mosquito Net Retreatments Help Reduce Malaria Cases

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (April 24, 2021) – According to WHO, in 2019 there were an estimated 229 million cases of malaria worldwide with children under 5 years being the most vulnerable group – accounting for 67 percent of all malaria deaths worldwide. The WHO African Region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2019, the region was home to 94 percent of malaria cases and deaths. In partnership with USAID and the Ministry of Health in Uganda, FIMRC recently provided 300 mosquito nets and educational classes to community members through its Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Department at its project site in Bududa, Uganda.

“Before I began working in Bududa, I knew the figures but had not suffered the emotions of seeing such seriously ill children from what should be a preventable illness," explains Dr. Peter Smith, a UK-based physician who has volunteered at Project Bududa nearly a dozen times. “Thanks to the incredible work of FIMRC staff, there will be many more children who have been spared this illness. The constant education going hand-in-hand with net retreatment programs is a vital piece of the jigsaw to maintain progress.”

For the mosquito nets to be effective, they must first be treated with insecticide. The treatment is only effective for up to six months after which they begin to lose their ability to kill or repel mosquitos. Therefore, FIMRC utilizes net retreatment as a cost-friendly alternative. To access this service, patients are told to return their nets to the facility on set days, during which they are sprayed directly or soaked in insecticide, ready to be used the following day. FIMRC is also one of the only facilities to ensure that patients and mothers are fully-equipped with knowledge of the importance and proper use of the net.

“Retreating nets is essential because it's cost-effective, prolongs the net benefits, and helps determine those which need replacing,” explains FIMRC Deputy In-Charge & Lab Technician at Project Bududa, Emma Fumbula. “Above all, this method ensures that the patients and the community are constantly in touch with their health providers. Thanks to USAID and the FIMRC family, the threat of malaria has been reduced drastically through constant health educators, community sensitization, and periodic surveillance.”

ABOUT FIMRC – Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving access to healthcare for families around the world through the implementation of innovative and self-sustaining health programs. Founded in 2002, incorporated in Washington, DC and headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, FIMRC utilizes its network of outpatient clinics and partnerships to assert multidimensional strategy that includes clinical services, extensive community outreach efforts, and health education programs. For more information, visit fimrc.org. Facebook @officialfimrcpage and Instagram @fimrc