Malaria: Our Impact

A Primary Health Center in Nigeria Improves Malaria Preventive Services for Pregnant Women

June 22, 2021
{Photo credit: Dr. Stanley Ugah}Mrs. Folake Ajayi takes her IPTp while being observed by health care workers during ANC at PHC Oniyanrin.Photo credit: Dr. Stanley Ugah

Malaria is common among pregnant women in Oyo State, Nigeria, which increases the risk of maternal anemia, low birth weight, premature delivery, stillbirth, and death of infants. Although intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) helps prevent these adverse effects for pregnant women and their unborn children, its uptake in the state is poor. Indeed, IPTp uptake across health facilities in Oyo State was less than 50% from April 2019 to February 2020, when the U.S President’s Malaria Initiative for States (PMI-S) project started supporting the state.

Renforcer le leadership et la gestion pour des impacts durables sur la santé

June 02, 2021
{Crédit photo: Samy Rakotoniaina/MSH}Un staff du PNLP participe à la session d’orientation LDP+ avec l’équipe d’ACCESS (Septembre 2019)Crédit photo: Samy Rakotoniaina/MSH

Lire cette histoire en anglais Un Leadership, un Management, et une Gouvernance (LMG) solides sont nécessaires à tous les niveaux du système de santé pour assurer la mise en œuvre efficace de prestations de services accessibles, abordables et de haute qualité dans tout le continuum de soins.

Strengthening leadership and management for sustainable health impacts

June 02, 2021
{Photo credit: Samy Rakotoniaina/MSH}NMCP staff in the LDP+ orientation session with the ACCESS team (September 2019)Photo credit: Samy Rakotoniaina/MSH

Read this story in FrenchStrong leadership, management, and governance (LMG) is necessary at every level of the health system to ensure the effective implementation of accessible, affordable, and high quality service provision across the continuum of care. LMG includes overseeing functions such as human resources management, supply chain and equipment management, quality assurance (both clinical and non-clinical components of quality), referral systems, community engagement, data collection and use, and target setting, among others.

Eliminating Malaria in Nigeria: Five ways the US President’s Malaria Initiative for States (PMI-S) is making a difference

April 29, 2021
A health care worker counsels pregnant women on the importance of preventing malaria during pregnancy in Ishelu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Photo credit: Oluwatobiloba Akerele/MSH

Read this story on USAID's websiteAn estimated 76 percent of Nigeria’s population are at risk of malaria by living in high transmission areas.  Nigeria accounts for 27 percent of malaria cases worldwide and the highest number of deaths (24 percent) due to malaria in 2019 (World Malaria Report, 2020).  The U.S. President's Malaria Initiative for States (PMI-S) activity managed by USAID recognizes that “it takes a village” to achieve a malaria-free Nigeria.

Women And Youth In Benin Organize Health Savings Funds To Access Malaria Treatment

April 26, 2021
{Photo credit: Modeste Gnitona/MSH}Louise Sambieni, a member of the Tilyikna Women’s Group.Photo credit: Modeste Gnitona/MSH

This story was originally published on USAID's websiteLouise Sambieni, a woman living in the village of Kountori, Atacora Department, Benin, was unable to afford the medicine she needed when she fell ill with malaria. “A few months ago, while I was walking to the field where I work, I started to have a headache…The headache lingered and my husband suggested that I go to see a doctor and gave me 5,000 francs for care....The drugs that the doctor prescribed not only cost more than 12,000 francs, they were also unavailable in my village and I would have had to travel to Cob

MSH Celebrates the Next 50 Years

March 30, 2021

MSH was formed in May 1971 by Dr. Ron O’Connor to focus on supporting countries as they strengthen their health systems and the local ownership needed to achieve sustainable change. In 2021, we are celebrating our five decades of health impact. But we are not going to celebrate this anniversary by reflecting on the past. We want to focus on the future of global health – the Next 50 Years.We turn 50 during a time when, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of global health is on everyone’s mind and impacting everyone’s lives.

Strengthening Malaria Interventions in Benin During the COVID-19 Pandemic

January 26, 2021
{Photo: Raphaël Gnonlonfoun, USAID Integrated Health Services Activity}A coach from Sakété-Ifangni health zone, Plateau, counting the number of active malaria cases in health registers.Photo: Raphaël Gnonlonfoun, USAID Integrated Health Services Activity

When Benin recorded its first case of COVID-19 on March 16, 2020, the country’s health authorities understandably pivoted to pandemic preparedness and response activities to protect people from the coronavirus.But the pandemic threatened progress in the fight against malaria. According to the 2018 Benin Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA 2018), the mosquito-borne illness remains the leading cause of mortality among children under five years and of morbidity among adults in Benin, accounting for more than 39 percent of adult medical consultations. Disruptions to primary healthcare and malaria prevention and treatment efforts could have deadly consequences.

Offline App Expands Malaria Protection for Children in Benin

January 11, 2021
A health worker showing the app used during the SMC in the village of Guéné. Photo credit Jocelyn Akakpo

While the rainy season brings welcome relief to farmers in northern Benin, the wet weather also brings an unwelcome guest: mosquitoes. These mosquitoes can spread malaria, a disease that threatens hundreds of thousands of children’s lives across the region.But malaria can be prevented with several interventions, including medications provided during seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC). When the summer rain arrives, health workers supported by USAID through the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) treat children with four monthly rounds of SMC.

Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health project brings health care to all in Nigeria

November 04, 2020
{Photo Credit: Gwenn Dubourthournieu}National Health Insurance System (NHIS) desk of the National Hospital of Abuja, Nigeria.Photo Credit: Gwenn Dubourthournieu

Nigeria, like many other low- and middle-income countries, suffers from systemic weaknesses which cripple its health care system and leave many without adequate access to health services or care. With support from the Global Fund, the MSH-led Nigeria Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH) project is working with Nigeria's Center for Disease Control, the Department of Health Planning Research and Statistics (DHPRS) at the Federal Ministry of Health, and the National Product Supply Chain Management Program to strengthen and expand the capacity of its national and state-level health systems. One way that RSSH is supporting Nigeria in providing quality health care, especially for those most in need, is through its state-level interventions around public financial management, the state health insurance scheme, and organizational and labor market assessments.

Tools for community health workers to ensure availability of medicines for maternal and child health

July 27, 2020
{Photo credit: Sheila Mwebaze/MSH}Community health worker Betty Achilla examines a baby at one of the 31 households she supports.Photo credit: Sheila Mwebaze/MSH

Eight years ago, Betty Achilla was selected by her community to be a volunteer community health worker. She is currently serving 31 households in the Abim district in Northeastern Uganda. Betty is one of more than 60,000 volunteer community health workers in Uganda who play a vital role in extending maternal and child health services to hard-to-reach communities.As a community health worker, Betty was trained in the basics of diagnosing and dispensing medicines to treat common childhood illnesses such as malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia and to identify danger signs in children and refer them to nearby health centers. To do her work, Betty must have an adequate and consistent supply of malaria rapid diagnostic tests, antimalarial medicines, oral rehydration solution, zinc, and antibiotics.

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