You are here » Home » Telling Our Story
Success Story
Insecticide-treated nets are key to the country’s anti-malaria strategy
Fighting Malaria with Bed Nets
Photo: TAIS/Arturo Sanabria
East Timor President Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, left, receives a soccer ball with an anti-malaria message from U.S. Ambassador Grover Joseph Rees during an event to celebrate the anti-malaria program’s launch in Bucoli, near Baucau, on December 1, 2005.
"These mosquito nets
are especially important
for children under five
and pregnant mothers,"
Timor-Leste President Kay
Rala Xanana Gusmão told
residents receiving longlasting
insecticide-treated
bed nets.
Nearly 200,000 children were infected with malaria in Timor-
Leste in 2004. The annual death toll of confirmed malaria cases
is about 150, but the number of undiagnosed cases is likely to
be much higher. One of the most effective ways to
prevent malaria infection is to sleep under long-lasting,
insecticide-treated bed nets. Approved by the World
Health Organization for their efficacy and safety, the
nets are proven to significantly reduce the number
of malaria deaths in children. They are especially
effective because the insecticide can repel and kill
mosquitoes for up to five years.
USAID is participating in an effort to distribute more
than 80,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets to the
six districts in Timor-Leste hit hardest by malaria. In
these districts, every single family with a child under
age five will receive a special mosquito net to reduce
the risk of infection. Families receiving nets learn
about the dangers of mosquito-borne disease and the
importance of using the nets effectively.
"These mosquito nets are especially important
for children under five and pregnant mothers," Timor-Leste
President Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão told families during a
ceremony marking the program's launch. "The nets are yours
now, so please ensure that you use them properly. Let's all work
together to combat malaria."
Through the USAID program, local officials, community leaders,
and families with young children are learning about the dangers
of mosquito bites, detecting signs of malaria in children, the
need to seek treatment promptly, the importance of the nets, and
hanging and washing techniques that will keep the nets effective.
Local elected leaders are helping health staff and volunteers with
health promotion and malaria prevention efforts. The districts
targeted in this project are Baucau, Viqueque, Lautem, Aileu,
Dili, and Oecussi.
The anti-malaria programs are integral to USAID's strategic
objective to help Timor-Leste improve the health of its people
and reduce mortality among women and children.
Print-friendly version of this page (642kb - PDF)
Click here for high-res photo
Back to Top ^ | 
RSS Feed for Recent Telling Our Story Updates
