Sustaining LLIN coverage with continuous distribution: the school net programme in Tanzania

Most malaria-endemic countries have struggled in the past decade to establish effective national-scale continuous distribution mechanisms for long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). Since the implementation of the Tanzania National Voucher Scheme in 2004 and mass-distribution campaigns in 2009-2011...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Malaria journal 2020-04, Vol.19 (1), p.158-158, Article 158
Main Authors: Yukich, Joshua, Stuck, Logan, Scates, Sara, Wisniewski, Janna, Chacky, Frank, Festo, Charles, Kabulika, George, Dimoso, Kanuth, Mandike, Renata, Greer, George, Serbantez, Naomi, Elisaria, Ester, Nyoni, Waziri, Dadi, David, Akim, Ikupa, Lengeler, Christian, Brown, Nick, Koenker, Hannah
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Annual distribution
Bed nets
Case Study
Children
Collaboration
Continuous distribution
Distribution
Enrollments
Health facilities
Households
Human diseases
Immunization
Insecticides
Long lasting insecticide treated bed nets
Malaria
Measles
Medically uninsured persons
Nets
Planning
Prenatal care
Public schools
Regions
Schools
Stakeholders
Vector-borne diseases
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Summary:Most malaria-endemic countries have struggled in the past decade to establish effective national-scale continuous distribution mechanisms for long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). Since the implementation of the Tanzania National Voucher Scheme in 2004 and mass-distribution campaigns in 2009-2011 and 2015-2016, Tanzania has been committed to finding new and innovative ways of achieving and maintaining universal bed net coverage. Planning for the School Net Programme (SNP) began in 2011 and in 2013, the country piloted a SNP in three regions. Nets were distributed annually to children attending schools in selected primary and secondary grades. Intra-family re-distribution was assumed, and hence the family as a whole, rather than just the children themselves, were the targeted beneficiaries. The programme has since expanded to 14 regions and has seen six rounds of annual distribution. In its fifth year, 3 million nets were distributed at a cost of USD 3.64 per net and USD 0.60 per person-year of protection (including the net). ITN access and use were maintained at a high level (~ 50-75%) over the first 4 years of distribution within selected evaluation areas, even in the absence of a mass distribution event. Net distribution through primary schools has proven to be a feasible and effective strategy for maintaining consistently high coverage in Tanzania.
ISSN:1475-2875
1475-2875
DOI:10.1186/s12936-020-03222-8