Nothing But Nets

Nothing But Nets Net Distributions

Nothing But Nets works with the Measles Initiative, one of the most successful vaccination efforts ever undertaken – to purchase bed nets and distribute them in countries and communities in greatest need. The Measles Initiative is a partnership of the American Red Cross, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the UN Foundation, the World Health Organization and UNICEF. Since this integrated campaign began in 2001, nearly 250 million children across Africa have been vaccinated against measles and the number of measles cases reduced by 60%.

Building on this success, the Measles Initiative has expanded to provide a package of critical child heath interventions, such as Vitamin A, de-worming medicines, the oral polio vaccine and insecticide-treated bed nets. Since 2002, the Measles Initiative has distributed over 23 million bed nets in 18 countries across Africa through these integrated child health campaigns. In 2006 alone, almost 20 million bed nets were distributed in 10 African countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria.

How Bed Nets are Distributed through the Measles Initiative

Coordination with African Governments

Each year the Measles Initiative coordinates with African governments to determine which countries will undertake measles campaigns. This is based on the prevalence and spread of the disease, the number of years since the last campaign, and the interest and preparedness of each country. Such coordination is necessary to conduct effective and efficient campaigns as well as ensure sustainability. To date, 12 countries have been chosen to conduct measles campaigns in 2007.

Government and NGO Coordination of Bed Nets

During the planning process for a measles campaign (which can take 6 to 9 months), a country can choose to integrate other health interventions such as insecticide-treated bed nets. When a country decides to distribute bed nets during its measles campaign, the Measles Initiative and the country government coordinate the planning for each such that they are fully integrated. Together, WHO, UNICEF and the local ministry of health determine where to purchase the bed nets and who will be responsible for bed net storage, distribution, social mobilization, and follow-up surveying.

Nothing But Nets serves as one source of funding for net distribution through measles campaigns. Other sources of funding include, but are not limited to, bi-lateral funding from other countries, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and corporations. The funds are pooled such that together the funders can purchase and distribute all the nets that are needed for a given country during a specific integrated measles campaign.

Distribution of Bed Nets and Education on their Use

Throughout the integrated measles campaign, children travel to vaccination posts where they receive the measles vaccine and other medicines, as well the insecticide-treated bed net. Health workers and volunteers provide the immunizations and educate children and their families on the use of the bed nets, while observers from various agencies and organizations monitor the activities of the campaign and provide support to the health workers and volunteers as needed.

Evaluation

The evaluation of the bed net distribution generally takes place just prior to the rainy season, providing an opportunity to re-educate families on the use of the bed nets as they enter the time of year during which mosquitoes tend to be more prevalent.

Sending Nets. Saving Lives.

This entire process of purchasing and distributing insecticide-treated bed nets to children under the age of five, as well as providing education and follow-up surveying on their use, is accomplished at the cost of just $10 per bed net.

Although $10 for a bed net may not sound like much, the cost makes them out of reach for most people at risk of malaria in Africa, where many people survive on less than $1 a day. Malaria has been brought under control and even eliminated in many parts of Asia, Europe and the Americas. Yet in Africa, malaria infections have actually increased over the last three decades. Malaria is a leading cause of death of children in Africa, killing nearly one million children each year. Every day 3,000 children die from the disease.

Join us and Send a Net, Save a Life.