Flickr, by Prezius
Mosquito net
Insecticide-treated mosquito nets can prevent malaria infection, no question.
Getting people to use them as intended is another thing. Reports of people in African communities using them to catch fish, make fences or for other creative purposes has prompted some to claim bed net distribution is not effective for fighting malaria and is misguided if not counterproductive.
Others contended the nets should be sold, rather than donated, so recipients value them.
A new study by the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation has found that African countries who have received major support for bed net distribution are using them as intended and many more children are being protected from malaria.
Bottom line, said IHME director Dr. Chris Murray: “More money means more children sleeping under bed nets.”
