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Photo story: Looking back on Sierra Leone’s biggest ever bed net campaign

Families collecting their bed nets at a distribution point in Ngiehun Village in Kenema District, Eastern Sierra Leone

Photo story: Looking back on Sierra Leone’s biggest ever bed net campaign

In June 2017, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation with partners distributed insecticide treated bed nets to households across the country in a nationwide anti-malaria campaign.

Sierra Leone is one of the most severely malaria-burdened countries in Africa, with its entire population of 7 million people at risk of the disease. The World Health Organization estimates that every year, malaria accounts for about 20% of all under 5 mortality in the country. It also contributes to life-threatening complications among pregnant women.

For some families, the cost of a treated bed net is simply inaffordable, which is why every three years the Ministry of Health and Sanitation through the support of its partners including UK aid, the Global Fund, WHO and UNICEF distributes insecticide treated bed nets to households, replacing those that have been damaged and to ensure continued effectiveness of the insecticides.
“Protecting my child is my duty. Therefore ensuring that we sleep under the net is more than a duty for me”, said Hawa Mansaray in Galehun Village in Kenema district.
Before the first use of the net, it is hung in a shady place for several hours before they are finally used indoors to prevent any possible reactions to the insecticides.
This year, the bed net distribution was carried out simultaneously with the first of two yearly Maternal and Child Health Week campaigns during which teams of health workers and community volunteers deliver integrated health services to mothers and children less than five years of age such as vaccinations, deworming tablets and Vitamin A supplements. The teams are supervised by checks to ensure quality coverage. Errors or challenges identified during such supervision are corrected through on the job mentors
The bed net distribution and maternal and child health week campaign was launched at a health fare in Makeni where volunteers and health workers also offered health checks for the public; gave talks and raised awareness on nutrition, malaria prevention and control, and offered free voluntary testing for HIV.
Evaluations and assessments are currently underway to assess the effectiveness of the campaign, with findings to be published in the weeks ahead.
Bed nets were distributed in all districts, backed by continued advocacy for people to use them every night. With such efforts, authorities are hopeful that more lives will be saved, the socio-economic cost of malaria will be reduced and the quality of life changed for the better.
The nets were distributed by teams of health workers, community volunteers and social mobilizers. Upon receiving the nets, families were encouraged to not only use the net but also to undertake environmental sanitation practices around their homes and communities to help prevent mosquitos from breeding.
From cities to remote rural communities and settlements, the goal of the campaign was for every household and every family to receive at least one insecticide treated bed net so that the entire population, whatever their social or economic status, can be equally protected against malaria.
Social mobilization and community awareness plays a critical role in the implementation of any public health campaign. During the planning and implementation of the bed net distribution, different channels were used to reach out to the general public with relevant information about the nationwide exercise.
Community radio stations, local and nation television channels, newspapers posters, and banners, loud speakers, town criers and others were used to pass on the messages
Families collecting their bed nets at a distribution point in Ngiehun Village in Kenema District, Eastern Sierra Leone
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Keenan Laura

Email: keenanl [at] who.int (keenanl[at]who[dot]int)
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