wfn.org | Presbyterians Join Africans in Malaria-Prevention Pilot Program

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

15-June-1999 
99226 
 
    Presbyterians Join with Africans 
    in Malaria-Prevention Pilot Program 
 
    by John Filiatreau 
 
    LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Presbyterian Women and the International Health 
Ministries area of the Worldwide Ministries Division (WMD) are 
collaborating with Christian women in Africa to combat malaria, which 
affects 300 million to 500 million Africans every year and kills more than 
three million children. 
 
    The pilot malaria-prevention program is based upon the use of 
insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs), which decrease exposure to 
mosquitoes, the vector that transmits malaria to people. ITNs provide a 
barrier against mosquitoes as well as repelling and killing the insects. 
Experiments conducted in parts of Africa found that community-wide use of 
ITNs reduces the death rate in children under five years of age by 30 
percent to 50 percent. 
 
    The OSFC, a non-denominational group based in Yaounde, Cameroun, is a 
church-related group of African women volunteers that trains Christian 
women to set up local health committees and manage local health-improvement 
projects. 
 
    The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), through Presbyterian Women and the 
International Health Ministries, is joining OSFC in a malaria-prevention 
program using ITNs in Maroua, a city in northern Cameroun. The Maroua 
Christian Women's Health Committee, trained by OSFC, is already involved in 
malaria education and environmental mosquito-control projects in the city. 
 
    The Maroua women will educate their community about ITNs, promote their 
use, sell the nets, and monitor and evaluate their use. The nets must be 
treated with insecticide every six or 12 months to remain effective; the 
Maroua women also will be responsible for providing this service. 
 
    Because the nets are expensive (costing from $4.50 to $10 each), many 
Maroua families cannot afford them. Presbyterian Women, using funds from 
the annual Thank Offering (including Health Ministries), are donating an 
initial supply of ITNs to be used in the project. This will enable the 
Maroua women to set a lower, more affordable price. Money from sales of the 
nets will be banked, and interest earned will be used to buy more nets and 
insecticide. The Maroua women will also launch local income-generating 
projects (sewing nets, for example), with the goal of making the program 
self-supporting. 
 
    The PC(USA) is involved with pilot malaria-prevention/mosquito net 
programs at several locations in Cameroun, and will soon be involved in 
similar programs in Malawi and in other parts of Africa and Asia. The goal 
is to reduce childhood deaths from malaria by at least 50 percent in 
participating communities. 
 
    Presbyterians can support the malaria-control programs by sewing 
mosquito nets (call Nancy Hull at 614-766-1542 for details) or through 
financial contributions to the Malaria Prevention/Evangelism Program (ECO# 
048013). A gift of $10 will provide a mosquito net and health education for 
one child; a gift of $5,000 will enable Christian women to set up a 
malaria-prevention program in an entire community. Checks should be marked 
"ECO# 048013 Nets to End Malaria". 
 
    So far, 36 Presbyterian Women's groups have committed themselves to 
sewing nets for the program and assembling ITNs from pre-cut kits. The goal 
is to enroll 50 groups in the pilot program. For more information, contact 
your Synod Mission Opportunities Coordinator or your CCT Synod 
Representative. 
 
    Malaria is the No.1 cause of death in Africa. The most vulnerable 
groups are young children and pregnant women. It is estimated that the 
average African child has malaria 20 times before reaching the age of five 
years. In pregnant women, malaria can cause maternal death and/or fetal 
loss, and is associated with low birth weight. 
 
    Prevention of the disease is increasingly important because malaria is 
developing resistance to many drugs. 

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