Over a span of three years, a new type of mosquito net distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa managed to prevent an estimated 13 million cases of malaria and save nearly 25,000 lives. The announcement was made by the project’s supporters on Wednesday.
According to the latest data from the World Health Organization, there were 249 million reported cases of malaria and 608,000 deaths in 2022, with the highest burden being in Africa.
The disease, transmitted by mosquitoes carrying a parasite, claims the lives of nearly half a million children in the African region every year.
One of the significant challenges in reducing these alarming numbers is the increasing insecticide resistance observed in the disease-carrying mosquitoes.
The New Nets Project addressed this issue by distributing 56 million dual-insecticide nets across 17 malaria-endemic countries between 2019 and 2022. This initiative, led by the Innovative Vector Control Consortium, was supported by Unitaid and the Global Fund. The new nets, coated with a combination of a new generation pyrrole insecticide and a standard pyrethroid insecticide, proved to be more effective in malaria control.
Assessment from two clinical trials and five pilot studies demonstrated that in countries reporting insecticide resistance in sub-Saharan Africa, the new nets enhanced malaria control by 20-50% compared to standard nets, as mentioned in the groups’ statement.
The supporters calculated that the additional cost of averting a malaria case using the new nets, in comparison to standard nets, ranged between $0.66 and $3.56.
Simultaneously, the decrease in malaria cases and fatalities attributed to the new nets resulted in potential financial savings of $28.9 million for health systems, as highlighted in the statement.
Global Fund chief Peter Sands expressed his satisfaction: “The success of the New Nets Project illustrates that through collaborative efforts among global health partners, embracing innovation, and employing market-shaping strategies, we can combat insecticide resistance, enhance the cost-effectiveness of our interventions, and accelerate progress against malaria.”,
AFP