The American people are helping Madagascar combat malaria – the most prevalent disease treated at health centers across the country. In 2022 to date, more than one million people in Madagascar have contracted malaria, making it the nation’s eighth most common cause of mortality in hospitals.
In a November 10 ceremony in the Isorana Commune of the Matsiatra Ambony Region, the U.S. government and the Ministry of Public Health’s National Malaria Control Program launched an insecticide spraying campaign to reduce malaria in the regions of Matsiatra Ambony, Anosy, and Ihorombe.
With support from the U.S. government through the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the October 31-December 2 campaign will treat the walls and ceilings of nearly 200,000 homes with insecticide certified as safe for humans, protecting 900,000 people in five health districts with high malaria prevalence rates. This includes nearly 36,000 pregnant women and more than 150,000 children under five.
“Indoor residual spraying is a cost-effective measure to prevent malaria, which continues to threaten the health and well-being of the Malagasy people,” said Solofo Razakamiadana, Malaria Data Specialist with USAID/Madagascar. “The spread of this dangerous disease can be considerably reduced through the spraying, especially when combined with other malaria control efforts like sleeping under bed nets, providing early preventive treatment to pregnant women, and providing timely care for those infected with malaria.”
The spraying campaign, which includes monthly monitoring to ensure treatments remain effective, is performed in compliance with COVID-19 guidance and environmental regulations and is implemented in partnership with PMI’s global Vector Link project.
USAID also supported distribution of more than 3.7 million insecticide-treated bed nets to communities in 27 high-transmission districts in Madagascar, procured drugs worth more than $500,000, and supported more than 17,000 community health workers to provide care and referral for young children.
The U.S. government works together with Madagascar like “mpirahalahy mianala” to strengthen access to and deliver quality health services. The U.S. government is the largest bilateral donor to Madagascar’s health sector, allocating more than $440 million since 2015 to fund health activities, including investment of $26 million in 2021 for malaria programs.
