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News/Event Item
U.S. Government and Private Sector Join Forces to Fight Malaria in Africa on an Unprecedented Scale
6 November 2001
Academy for Educational Development Release
Each year in Africa, approximately 2.5 million people die of malaria – a number roughly equal to the entire metropolitan area population of Denver, Colorado. This represents 90 percent of malaria deaths worldwide. Of the malaria deaths in Africa, 1.9 million are among children under five.
Recent studies have shown that properly used insecticide treated bednets (ITNs) have the potential to reduce all childhood deaths in Africa by 20 percent, not just malaria-related deaths, and to reduce the incidence of severe malaria by an average of 45 percent. But few people know about these lifesaving devices, and there are not enough available for those who do want them.
In an effort to reduce malaria deaths on a broad scale, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has joined forces with six major international and African net and insecticide manufacturers in a landmark public/private partnership conceived to simultaneously build the supply of and demand for these insecticide treated nets.
The program, called "NetMark," is managed by the Academy for Educational Development (AED), a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to positive social change. NetMark's goal is to make affordable, lifesaving ITNs commercially available on a national scale in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Zambia. Product launches are scheduled for November 2001 in Zambia, February 2002 in Nigeria and early 2002 for Ghana and Senegal. Depending on the success of the NetMark program, the commercial partners will expand their efforts throughout their existing distribution networks in Sub-Saharan Africa.
"If ITNs were widely used, they would save more than 1 million lives a year in Africa. But finding a sustainable way to prevent malaria through expanded ITN use will require the technical, human and financial resources of both the public and private sectors," says David McGuire, NetMark Project Director. "NetMark is bringing these sectors together to seek long lasting, cost-effective solutions that jointly address public health and business objectives."
Commercial companies, their local distributors, and a $15.4 million investment from USAID are funding the NetMark program. Commercial partners include: global insecticide manufacturers Aventis Environmental Science, BASF, and Bayer; Vestergaard Frandsen, makers of a long-lasting pre-treated net; Siamdutch Mosquito Netting Co, Ltd., the world's largest net manufacturer; and A to Z Textiles, Africa's largest net manufacturer. Each commercial partner, along with their distributors, will be responsible for the procurement, distribution, management and promotion of their branded ITNs. These companies are expected to contribute millions of dollars in excess of USAID's investment.
If successful, the NetMark model will provide a public/private partnership model that could be applied to other critical health products and services, McGuire added. "Unlike many donor funded programs that require increased investment over time as the scope of the activity increases, the NetMark model leads to increased investment and ownership by the private sector, and a decreased need for public funding," he said.
Other NetMark partners include FCB advertising, Africa's largest advertising agency and fifth largest worldwide, and Group Africa, a major African consumer promotion company. The two agencies will work with AED to develop a world class communication campaign across Africa to promote the correct and consistent use of this simple, yet life-saving technology.
The bulk of USAID's time-limited investment will go towards research and an umbrella marketing effort that will link the commercial partners' products to the campaign with a NetMark logo. Consumers will be encouraged to buy net kits (the net and insecticide treatment) and to retreat the nets as often as directed by the manufacturer.
"AED's expertise is in behavior change communication and serving as a catalyst for public-private partnerships," said McGuire. "A successful program will address and surmount barriers to using nets with messages and incentives that are relevant to each country."
NetMark's partners project sales of 7.4 million nets and 17.3 million insecticide retreatments by October 2004, which will provide protection to more than 15 million African children. Prices will range from $3.50 to $7.50 for a "net kit" (net plus insecticide treatment) or long-lasting net. Insecticide treatments will range from $.50 cents to $1.50.
"The NetMark program will undoubtedly make a great contribution in helping the World Health Organization-led 'Roll Back Malaria' movement achieve its goals," says McGuire. "A significant increase in ITN use will yield immediate results."
Contact: David McGuire, (202)-884-8506, dmcguire@aed.org
Madeleine Burka, (202)-884-8324, mburka@aed.org
For this press release, go to:
http://www.aed.org/news/news_release_NetMark11062001.html
NetMark website
http://www.netmarkafrica.org
Roll Back Malaria website
http://www.rbm.who.int/
category: News from Other Sources : General Health News
contributed by Andrea Welch on 8 November 2001
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