Rolling Back Malaria in Tanzania

Tanzania has more than 30 million people at risk from malaria. It is estimated that there are 16 million cases of malaria each year, contributing to approximately 80,000 deaths annually of children under the age of five. Economic losses due to malaria are estimated to equal approximately 3.4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product each year.

Local studies demonstrate that the use of insecticide- treated nets can reduce malariarelated mortality by almost 27 percent and halve the number of malaria-related illnesses. Accordingly, the government of Tanzania was the first in Africa to lift all taxes and related duties on imported, insecticide-treated nets for the prevention of malaria.

A Global Fund grant of US$12 million payable over two years makes possible an innovative public-private partnership whereby 90 percent of pregnant women will have access to subsidized insecticidetreated nets. Financing is supporting the National Malaria Control Program’s plan to subsidize people’s purchase of insecticide- treated nets from commercial retailers.

Under the plan, vouchers will be distributed throughout Tanzania to pregnant women who attend antenatal care clinics. Women will present these vouchers to commercial retailers, who in turn will be reimbursed by a consortium of non-governmental organizations for the cost of the nets.

The scheme will also ensure that at least one commercial outlet for insecticidetreated nets operates in each village in which malaria is a threat. Moreover, free insecticide treatment kits—used to sustain the efficacy of insecticide-treated nets— will be distributed by immunization centers to mothers of children under 18 months of age.

The design of this program ensures broad coverage of distribution in a manner that leverages the reach of the private sector and provides active links to other health interventions. The voucher scheme encourages pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics, which will lead to better prenatal care and the associated health benefits for both mother and child.

This innovative scheme not only increases access to insecticide-treated nets, but it also has stimulated the private-sector production of insecticide-treated nets in Tanzania. Virtually all of the nets used in this program are locally produced, procured and distributed. The program aims to supply 60 percent of all pregnant women and all children below five years of age with insecticidetreated nets—compared with 7 percent in 2001—and to increase the number of households with at least one insecticidetreated net from 11 percent in 2001 to 70 percent in 2006.

An initial disbursement of US$500,000 from the Global Fund has permitted partners in Tanzania to begin to purchase and distribute the first of many thousands of insecticide-treated nets to pregnant women and their families.