Success Stories
The President's Malaria Initiative continues to change lives
First phase of Indoor Residual Spraying campaign completed
Credit: USAID/Angola, Romulo Peixoto
As the first phase of the PMI supported Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaign finished in March 2006, USAID/Angola traveled to the southern provinces of Huíla and Namibe to speak with people who live in communities that were directly impacted by the spraying efforts. Melania is 28 years old and lives with her husband and two children, aged two and four, in their modest one-bedroom house in Forte Santa Rita, Namibe. She sells fruit and vegetables at the local market but when her children are ill, she must stop work to care for them and, as a result, struggles to put food on the table for her family. Her plight highlights the effect of malaria that is often forgotten behind the mortality statistics; namely, the reduction in productivity caused by malaria morbidity (illness) to workers or their dependants.
On June 30th, 2005, the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) was officially launched to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Angola was one of the first three countries chosen to participate in this initiative with the goal of reducing malaria deaths by 50 percent and build capacity so that the incidence of the disease continues to decrease. Working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Research Triangle International (RTI), Global Fund, WHO, UNICEF and ExxonMobil, USAID/Angola is helping to reach this goal, and to improve and save people's lives through better service delivery and co-ordination.
Malaria in Angola is still the number one cause of morbidity and mortality, with most cases occurring in pregnant women and young children. Effective medication is out of reach to the majority of the population, and resistance to older malaria drugs is widespread. In addition, the southern provinces of Huila, Cunene and Namibe are especially prone to devastating malaria epidemics, and preventing malaria here is challenging because of the lack of both knowledge and the preventative measures to fight it. IRS involves spraying insecticides on the inner walls of houses that repels and kills mosquitoes entering the house, and is a proven method for, providing protection to an entire family for up to 6 months and helping to prevent epidemics.
Before homes were sprayed, the NGO Christian Children's Fund (CCF) trained and mobilized local "activistas" who carried out a sensitization campaign of the target population to ensure that residents understood the purpose and importance of supporting this effort. When mobilizers came to Melania's home, she and her husband were both initially reticent and dubious. "At first I didn't believe that the spray on the walls would kill the mosquitoes and I felt it was a waste of time. The truth is that since my home was sprayed my children haven't had malaria and I haven't had to take them to the hospital!" observes Melania with a shy smile and a sense of relief.
Communities in IRS areas also received general health information about malaria preventative measures, how to recognize symptoms and recommended treatment seeking behaviour. Melania explained that "I am grateful that mobilizers took the time to visit our homes before the spraying began. Now I am more informed on practical steps I can take to prevent my children from getting malaria, and will gladly welcome another campaign." The next round of spraying is due to take place in late 2006.
Overall, the first phase of the spraying campaign was well received by the population. In total over 100,000 houses were covered, meaning about 550,000 residents were directly protected from malaria. In addition approximately 400,000 others were indirectly protected due to the cordon sanitaire effect of the IRS in the southern city of Lubango. Further health benefits from the widespread sensitization on malaria and general health information will also benefit the population in the future. With the next spraying phase soon approaching, mobilizers are making an effort to improve and strengthen the educational and informative components of the campaign so that the foundations of long-lasting social change are solid and provide Angolans with the tools to achieve healthy, happier futures for themselves, their families and their country.
