GMin's Eradicate Malaria Project in Sierra Leone, summer 07
Carried out summer 2007 in co-operation with Pujehun DHMT and UNICEF Freetown. During the journey we
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Aim:
Measure the cumulative effect of total Long Lasting Insecticide-treated Nets (LLINs) coverage on the morbidity of malaria, over a three-year period, in Sahn Malen, a small community with about 1,500 inhabitants in Sierra Leone, Africa.
Background:
In Sierra Leone, like most of Sub-Saharan Africa, malaria accounts for a larger disease burden and lower economic growth. Malaria is not diseases of today, and the prevalence can easily be reduced through the use of LLINs. Due to the huge negative impacts of malaria on development and living standards, GMin aimed to reduce the prevalence by handing out LLINs and measure what impact total coverage will have on the prevalence of malaria.
Method:
A pre-distribution census was carried out, by trained personnel, with emphasis on population. To improve the results a "Mosquito Net Questionnaire: Sahn Malen, July 2007" was designed which would confirm the number initially recorded during the census and add some extra malaria-specific data.
Distribution was: 1509 inhabitants with 319 under-fives.
After the our own survey, a town meeting with the Chief, District Medical Officer and his team, and the entire village was called to order. Inhabitants were informed about various preventive techniques including the use of LLINs (Olyset Net, 5 year insecticide guarantee). With everyone fully aware of the project and its aim of reducing malaria prevalence, a house-to-house distribution campaign was carried out over a two days period to over 200 households.
LLINs were provided to cover every sleeping space in every household such that by the end of the day, every individual had access to a LLIN.
The Pujehun DHMT will conduct a malaria tests in December 2007, July 2008, July 2009 and July 2010. The results will be processed with the aim of publishing a four-part research paper that will provide systematic answers to the research question proposed above. In addition, they will do ongoing sensitization on a bi-monthly basis for 3 years.
Evaluation:
The project went beyond all expectations. We handed out all the nets though house-to-house distribution, and ensured that every single individual in the village of Sahn Malen had a net to sleep under.
Our co-operation with the locals in the village went very well, and our Football Tournament with the name "Kick out Malaria of Sahn Malen" became the main entertainment events of the months, drawing lots of attention to our project, and the importance of using the LLIN?s. Similarly the attendance for the town meeting we planned with the DHMT and the chief was attended by the entire council of elders as well as many other interested villains.
We made a very good agreement with the District Health Medical Team(DHMT), which ensures that they, the coming 3 years, will conduct surveys on the usage of the LLIN?s, as well as reasons for not using them and other information that is essential for our next projects.
Furthermore the DHMT will do heavy sensitization in the village in the coming 3 months in order to make sure every villain uses their nets every night and that they understand exactly what affect the usage of mosquito nets have in the fight against malaria.
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Malaria in Sierra Leone
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Eradicate Malaria '07
Safuge, Summer '06
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