Page 18 - TARGETED REPLACEMENT CAMPAIN

INTRODUCTION

Malaria remains a major public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa, with approximately 1 million deaths and
more than 400 million cases a year. In Tanzania, over 95% of the 37.4 million people are at risk for malaria infection,
the world malaria report of 2018 has shown that there were a total of 219 million patients and 435,000 deaths.
The disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality; more than one-third of deaths among children under
the age of 5 years and for up to one-fifth of deaths among pregnant women and 91 percent of all patients and
90 percent of deaths are from Africa Continent. Malaria also contributes to 39.4% and 48% of all outpatients less
than 5 years of age and aged 5 years and above, respectively. The socio-economic impact of malaria is so high that
it contributes highly to poverty and underdevelopment.

Among the 10 African countries, Tanzania
contributes more than 70% of the world’s
malaria disease. Approximately 93% of
Tanzanians are at higher risk of malaria
Infection. Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) have
been the most widely distributed intervention
against malaria, Tanzania has a longstanding
record in the deployment of mosquito nets as
an intervention for malaria control.

The use of ITNs in Tanzania has been associated
with the reduction of malaria morbidity and
mortality, particularly in children under the
age of five. Net ownership rate in Lindi and
Mtwara regional is low (less net ownership rate
(35% average for Mtama DC, Nachingwea DC
and Ruangwa DC councils) and (41% average
for Masasi DC, Nanyumbu DC and Newala DC
councils, as a result of this Malaria infection is
at a high level in 2 regions of Lindi & Mtwara
(DHIS2-2020/21)

Tanzania has made important progress towards ensuring access to Malaria control interventions over the last 6
years with the prevalence level significantly dropping by half from 14.4% in 2015 to 7.3% in 2018 owing to previ-
ous malaria control interventions from TMARC and other key health stakeholders. Inorder to achieve the universal
net coverage Tanzania continous to sustainable explore “Keep Up“ distribution mechanism to distribute nets into
the community. Mass distribution campaigns are the primary source of LLINs in most malaria endemic countries
and aim to ensure equitable distribution across all socio-economic groups.