Kampala, Uganda - Tana Netting has donated 5,000 DawaPlus® 2.0 long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets (LLINs) worth over US$25,000 to the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) in Uganda. The donation, which will aid malaria prevention efforts in the rural Nakasongola District in central Uganda, is organised in collaboration with Malaria No More Netherlands and Quality Chemicals Ltd, the exclusive distributor of DawaPlus® 2.0 in Uganda.

Malaria is the leading cause of illness and death in Uganda, killing between 70,000 and 100,000 people annually. In Nakasongola District, it is the leading cause of morbidity, and contributing to about 51 per cent of the total disease burden. Uganda spends an estimated US$640 million on treatment and loses a substantial amount of household income to malaria each year.

Given that there is currently no vaccine for malaria, and preventive medication is far too costly for most people to afford, current efforts to reduce transmission rates depend largely on encouraging individual safety measures to prevent the disease. Sleeping under an LLIN is one of the most effective ways of preventing malaria, especially for young children and expectant mothers, who are most susceptible to infection due to their weakened immune systems.

Recognising the devastating impact of recurrent malaria infections on the life and livelihoods of Ugandans, AMREF has been working since 2006 with the government and community members to address the malaria problem in Nakasongola, which has some of the worst health status indices in the country. The project seeks to strengthen community support structures and build local capacities to treat and prevent disease. The Nakasongola Malaria Project directly benefits 30,000 of the most vulnerable populations in the district, including children under the age of five, pregnant women and people living with HIV.

Earlier this year, AMREF added sustainable distribution of LLINs to its list of priorities for the project.  AMREF established revolving funds for purchase of mosquito nets that are managed by community malaria control committees, who provide LLINs at low prices through community medicine distributors on bicycles. The initiative aims to expand availability and ownership of affordable LLINs, generate a small amount of income for the medicine distributors and create long-term community funding options for LLINs.

“Malaria is a problem of immense magnitude in Uganda. Out of every 100,000 children below the age of five, 70 are killed by malaria, while between 10 and 12 million cases are treated in the public health system alone. AMREF believes in working with communities to improve health care, and together with the government we have set up networks to help reach people in their homes with health education and services. We are grateful to Tana Netting, Quality Chemicals Ltd and Malaria No More Netherlands for this generous donation, and for your partnership in the fight against malaria,” said Joshua Kyallo, AMREF UG Country Director.

Tana Netting’s donation marks the official launch of DawaPlus®2.0 worldwide, following its successful recommendation by the WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES) in August. DawaPlus® 2.0 is coated with deltamethrin insecticide from Bayer Environmental Science in a special treatment process that ensures the net retains its effectiveness even after it has been washed 20 or more times.

“Tana Netting is confident that this donation will boost AMREF’s efforts to prevent malaria and improve the lives of the people of Nakasongola,” said Mr Chris Messer, Tana Netting’s head of marketing and regulatory affairs.  “At the same time, we are pleased to officially present DawaPlus® 2.0 to our partners in the public health community and are certain that the product will play a significant role in reducing malaria deaths around the world.”

AMREF and Tana Netting would like to recognise Malaria No More Netherlands and Quality Chemicals for their efforts in making the donation possible.  Malaria No More Netherlands, the Dutch malaria advocacy group, initiated the donation and recommended the link-up between Tana Netting and AMREF.  Quality Chemicals, the exclusive distributor of DawaPlus® 2.0 in Uganda, provided logistical support to facilitate the donation.

About AMREF
The African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) is the largest Africa-based international non-governmental organisation working in health development. AMREF has been working with African communities for 50 years to improve health and health care for the most disadvantaged people. AMREF targets the very poor, those living within the lowest economic quartile, remote areas, urban slums, IDP camps, nomadic populations in situations of chronic insecurity and those groups particularly vulnerable to diseases of poverty, such as women, children, adolescents and youth.  For more information see www.amref.org.

About Tana Netting
Based in Bangkok, Thailand, Tana Netting has over 28 years of experience manufacturing mosquito nets for public health and travel/outdoor applications.  The company produces DawaPlus® 2.0 long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets, which have successfully passed WHOPES interim recommendation.  The product was developed in a public-private partnership between Tana Netting, Bayer Environmental Science and AED|NetMark, a project of USAID.  Tana Netting’s state-of-the-art production facility, located near Thailand’s main seaport, employs around 200 workers. For more information, visit www.tananetting.com


About Malaria No More Netherlands
Malaria No More Netherlands is a not-for-profit organisation, committed to ending unnecessary death caused by malaria. Working with governments, corporations and the public, Malaria No More combines a powerful blend of funding, advocacy, popular campaigning and on-the-ground implementation to achieve its goal of eliminating malaria deaths.