Rapid scale-up of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets through integration into the national immunization program during child health week in Togo, 2004

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2010 Nov;83(5):1014-9. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0599.

Abstract

In December 2004, Togo was the first country to conduct a nationwide free insecticide-treated net (ITN) distribution as part of its National Integrated Child Health Campaign. Community-based cross-sectional surveys were conducted one and nine months post-campaign as part of a multidisciplinary evaluation of the nationwide distribution of ITNs to children 9-59 months of age to evaluate ITN ownership, equity, and use. Our results demonstrated that at one month post-campaign, 93.1% of all eligible children received an ITN. Household ITN ownership and equity increased significantly post-campaign. Nine months post-campaign, 78.6% of households with a child eligible to participate in the campaign retained at least one campaign net. Use by eligible children was 43.5% at one month post-campaign (during the dry season) and 52.9% at nine months post-campaign (during the rainy season). Household ownership of at least one ITN increased from 8.0% pre-campaign to 62.5% one month post-campaign. Together, these findings demonstrate that in this setting, increased household ITN ownership, equity, and retention can be achieved on a national scale through free ITN distribution during an integrated campaign.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anemia / epidemiology
  • Child, Preschool
  • Health Promotion / methods
  • Humans
  • Immunization Programs*
  • Infant
  • Insecticide-Treated Bednets*
  • Insecticides / pharmacology*
  • Malaria / epidemiology
  • Malaria / mortality
  • Malaria / prevention & control*
  • Measles / prevention & control
  • Measles Vaccine / administration & dosage
  • Measles Vaccine / immunology
  • Mosquito Control / methods*
  • Poliomyelitis / prevention & control
  • Poliovirus Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • Poliovirus Vaccines / immunology
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Togo / epidemiology

Substances

  • Insecticides
  • Measles Vaccine
  • Poliovirus Vaccines