Malaria Out Campaign

Concerns over insufficient malaria funding in Kenya has prompted the Kenya NGO Alliance Against Malaria to incept a campaign that will change the status quo.

Dubbed Malaria Out Campaign , it intends to advocated for increased domestic financing for malaria in line with the global theme Invest in the Future Defeat Malaria.

The three year initiative will further seek to bridge the existing net gap of one million nets for 5 malaria prone counties in the coastal region and advocating for behaviour change and communication. The target counties include Kwale, Lamu, Kilifi, Tana River and Mombasa.

KeNAAM proposes to accomplish this initiative by rallying together development partners, private and public sector to mobilise resources.
In 2014, the Government plans to undertake a mass net distribution exercise in the endemic areas with an aim of providing 100 percent net coverage. Even though substantial funding has been provided, it is not enough to totally cover most at risk populations.

According to the Ministry of Health Statistics, 28 million Kenyans are at risk of malaria. Malaria is a major public health problem, accounting for 29 percent of deaths among children, 11 percent among women and contributes to 60% of disease burden reported at public health facilities (KMIS 2010).
This year, the Ministry of Health expressed concern that the money allocated for the purchase of insecticide treated nets by Global Fund could only cater for half the number required in the 2014 mass distribution campaign.

This campaign intends to raise funds to buy approximately one million nets in a bid to address the gap. By hosting the walk, KeNAAM hopes to marshal resources from the development partners, public and private sector to meet the deficit.

The event is hoped to attract at least 3,000 participants from all walks of life in a bid to support the initiative.

The event is slated to take place on 7th June this year. Besides buying nets, the funds will assist in the distribution of insecticide treated nets and also developing information, education communication materials to inform the public on prevention, management and treatment of malaria.
“The negative impact of malaria continues to cause great suffering in our country. We need to implement interventions that can reduce malaria transmission,” said Mr Edward Mwangi the chief executive officer of KeNAAM.
The Ministry of Health estimates that 170 million working days are lost to the disease each year and that the disease causes more than 25 percent of deaths in children under five years.
The most vulnerable group to malaria infections are pregnant women and children under 5 years of age.

The campaign is expected to contribute towards reducing infant and maternal morbidly and mortality caused by malaria in Kenya.
At the end of the three year campaign, some 1 million nets will have been distributed and at least 5 million people will be reach with information on malaria.