The program’s long-term goals are to reduce cases of malaria, especially severe
ones, and to reduce malaria deaths, especially deaths of pregnant women and
children under 5 in PMFZ-supported districts.
At the end of its second year, the program has reached the goal of training and
equipping 2,500 volunteer community health workers to test for malaria and
treat, refer, and track the confirmed cases. The participation of Rotary members
and an emphasis on data quality are contributing to the successes of the
program. The workers are fully equipped with bicycles, backpacks, foul-weather
gear, and mobile phones, all of which enable them to bring care closer to
people’s homes. Awareness campaigns are also helping people to reduce their
risk by changing their habits. Finally, having a more consistent supply of tests
and medicines is leading to faster detection and treatment.
