Ntcheu District (Population: 580,000) - Post-distribution Check-Up (PDCU) at 33-months just completed
The fourth PDCU of net use and condition has been completed, 33 months after the mass distribution of 268,420 nets in January 2012. The PDCU data, that could be followed ‘live’ as it was being entered in Malawi, is now in the final stages of being checked. The results are good. We will publish shortly a commentary on the results.
Dedza District (690,000) - Distribution nearly complete
245,000 nets have now been distributed protecting 440,000 people and achieving universal coverage in all distribution areas, bar one. Nets have been distributed according to household-level net need information gathered during a comprehensive pre-distribution registration survey (PDRS). The number of nets required for the final ‘mop up’ area is being determined now and they will be distributed early in 2015.
Dowa District (700,000) - Pre-distribution Registration Survey (PDRS) underway
Every household in Dowa district, some 165,000, will be visited over the next two weeks by 440 Health Surveillance Assistants (government health service staff) to assess the number of sleeping spaces, perfectly usable nets and therefore net need for each individual household. Supervisors will make unannounced visits to randomly selected households to monitor the accuracy of the data collected. The data collected will be put in electronic database form, cleaned, checked and passed to village and community leaders for a public reading to ensure no omissions or inaccuracies. The final list will form the basis of an accurate net distribution to ensure full sleeping space coverage is achieved with no material theft of nets. This process is managed and supervised by our distribution partner Concern Universal working in close partnership with the Dowa District Health Officer, Malaria Coordinator and District Executive Committee and their teams. 396,900 LLINs have arrived in Dowa and are now in secure storage awaiting distribution in January and February 2015.
Balaka District (400,000) - Post-distribution Check-Up (PDCU) at 12-months about to start
The second PDCU of net use and condition is in the final stages of planning and will commence shortly. 5% of the households that received the 154,230 nets in November 2013 will be randomly selected and visited unannounced to assess net use and condition. Supervisors will check 5% of households visited by each data collector to ensure data accuracy. For any PDCU we ask it be carried out within ± 1 month of the appropriate anniversary.