The 33-months post-distribution net use check-up (PDCU) is currently being conducted in Ntcheu District, Malawi. Five percent of households, randomly selected, across 37 health centre catchment areas in the district were visited, unannounced, to assess net use and condition.
The data are being entered in Malawi now and may be viewed as they are entered. As soon as all data have been entered we will publish a summary of the results.
The specific nature of the data - at the health centre level - means the District Health Officer (DHO), health centre leaders, community leaders and other health workers are able to decide what targeted malaria control intervention might be appropriate in specific areas. In circumstances where health systems and resources are stretched, information that assists with targeted interventions can help with effective use of resources and that is the aim of this information.
We will provide our assessment of the data once all have been entered.
Background: 268,400 LLINs were distributed in Ntcheu District from December 2011 to February 2012.
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 AMF is delighted to announce Professor Hilary Ranson of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) has joined AMF’s Malaria Advisory Group (MAG).
The MAG advises AMF on many aspects of its activities including assessing target distribution locations and ensuring best practice in carrying out pre-distribution activities (including assessing household level net need and delivering malaria education), distribution management and verification, and post-distribution follow up.
Professor Ranson is one of the world’s leading authorities on insecticide resistance (IR). Hilary joined LSTM in 2001 and has been the Head of the Department of Vector Biology since 2010. She leads a portfolio of IR related research and advises widely on IR policy, including that relating to net distributions. She will be a very valuable addition to the group advising AMF.
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The operational plan for a distribution typically covers 12 months. The planning horizon for a specific distribution is, however, typically 18 to 24 months as discussions to assess and approve a distribution start six months earlier and the funds required (we need to have funds in hand in order to have serious discussions) are aggregated in the preceeding months.
For the distribution in Balaka (Sep/Oct 2015), recently announced, the sequence of operational steps (simplified) are:
Nov 14: Distribution (new timing) confirmed
Feb 15: Pre-distribution registration survey (PDRS, all households) planning document received
Apr 15: PDRS carried out, including verification activities and report received
Jun 15: Nets shipped (two month transit time)
Aug 15: Nets arrive in country, pre-positioned
Sep 15: Distribution of nets (Sep and Oct 2015)
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The Malawi National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) will be coordinating a country-wide mass distribution of nets during 2015 in 24 (of the 28) districts in Malawi. This follows the nationwide mass distribution on nets in 2012 and is therefore a re-coverage campaign. This timing is consistent with the three year repeat cycle common to many national programmes matching the degradation profile and useful life of the nets.
As a result of discussions between the NMCP and the wider Task Force group, within which AMF and our distribution partner Concern Universal are represented, and which coordinates and manages malaria control activities in-country, it has been decided a re-coverage distribution in Balaka during 2015 is both the optimal action for protecting the people of Balaka and means the Balaka three year distribution cycle will be aligned with the rest of Malawi.
As a result, all specific donations to AMF that are funding this distribution which had been previously designated as ‘ underwriting donations’ (given it was considered likely an early distribution, elsewhere, and prior to Sep/Oct 2016 would mean the specific donations would be moved to fund an earlier distribution) have now been designated as ‘confirmed allocated’ and will fund the Balaka distribution.
Further information:
A partial coverage distribution took place in Balaka in June 2012 conducted by the NMCP. The 70,000 LLINs found in place via an AMF/CU-conducted district-wide audit of all households were supplemented by the distribution of 154,230 LLINs in October 2013 which achieved district wide sleeping spaces coverage. By September 2015 at least 70,000 LLINs will need replacing (to protect some 130,000 people) as well as an estimated 30-40% of the nets distributed in October 2013 (an additional 45,000 to 60,000 LLINs to protect some 80,000 to 110,000 people). In addition, nets that have less than 12 months life remaining will be replaced which is anticipated will increase the number of nets required by a further 50,000, and population growth will add an additional 10,000 LLINs for a total requirement of up to 190,000 LLINs.
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