Fighting Malaria on the Frontlines

I recently had the privilege of accompanying the The Global Fund team on an excursion to Malawi to document the implementation of #IndoorResidualSpraying (IRS) in the #fightagainstmalaria. As a storyteller, I was able to witness firsthand the tireless work of frontline workers as they went into various villages in the district to carry out their operations.

Malaria remains a major public health challenge in Malawi, with an estimated 5.6 million cases and 4,000 deaths reported in 2019. Children under the age of five and pregnant women are the most vulnerable to malaria, accounting for over 70% of malaria-related deaths in Malawi.

Since the implementation of IRS in Malawi in 2007, the program has covered over 2.6 million households and protected over 12 million people. In 2020, the IRS program in Malawi was able to achieve a 90% coverage rate of targeted households in the four districts where the program was implemented, leading to a 56% reduction in malaria cases in those districts. According to the Ministry of Health in Malawi, IRS is estimated to have prevented over 27,000 deaths from malaria between 2010 and 2015.

The Malawian government, in collaboration with international partners such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria and the President's Malaria Initiative, has been implementing IRS to target high-risk populations, such as pregnant women and children under five years of age. As implementing partners under the Global Fund funding, World Vision Malawi has played a critical role in supporting the implementation of IRS in Malawi.

Trained spray teams equipped with backpack sprayers apply the insecticide to the interior walls and ceilings of houses in the rainy season, when malaria transmission is highest. Along with other interventions such as insecticide-treated bed nets, prompt diagnosis and treatment of malaria cases, and community education and mobilization, IRS has helped to significantly reduce malaria transmission in the country.

These statistics highlight the significant impact that IRS has had in reducing malaria transmission and saving lives in Malawi. Despite its success, the IRS program still faces challenges such as funding constraints and resistance to the insecticides used. This underscores the need for continued support and investment in malaria control programs in Malawi and other malaria-endemic countries. As we work towards a malaria-free world, it is important to tell the stories of frontline workers and shed light on the devastating effects of malaria on communities.