United States government to support zambia's national malaria strategic plan in 2012 with a total budget of $24 million

The United States government has demonstrated its commitment to the Integrated Systems Strengthening Program partnership by contributing a total of $24 million to support Zambia’s National Malaria Strategic Plan in 2012.

And In partnership with government, the United States-supported Zambia Integrated Systems Strengthening Program has began spraying over half a million targeted homes in Eastern, Northern, and Muchinga Provinces to kill mosquitoes that transmit malaria. 

If all citizens who are offered this service, over 2.5 million people will benefit from malaria protection.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative, supplied equipment, materials, and training to the Zambia National Malaria Control Center for use in the 2012 indoor residual spraying season.  

The materials include insecticides, spray pumps, spare parts, and personal protective equipment.

USAID/Zambia Mission Director Dr. Susan K. Brems says pregnant women should go for prenatal care early in pregnancy to receive medicine to prevent malaria.

Dr brems says everyone to take action to prevent malaria by Allowing their house to be sprayed and Sleep under a bed net. 

The American people’s contribution to Zambia’s malaria control program also includes purchasing and distributing insecticide-treated bed nets, providing rapid diagnostic malaria tests to health facilities and supplying anti-malarial drugs.

It also includes strengthening the supply chain and logistics systems for malaria commodities, and training health care providers in malaria treatment. 

In addition, the USAID-funded Communications Support for Health project is supporting the National Malaria Control Center’s roll-out of a nation-wide malaria prevention campaign called STOP Malaria; Let’s Do It, Zambia!  The STOP Malaria campaign uses public service radio announcements, community events, brochures, question and answer booklets for health workers, and primary school quizzes to educate the public on malaria prevention.

Further, the Communications Support for Health project has developed a primary school game that gives Zambia’s school teachers an entertaining way to teach students how to prevent malaria.