Press Releases

Press Release
September 3, 2009 
Ownership and use of mosquito nets rises dramatically in Senegal

Dakar, Senegal. Ownership of insecticide-treated nets (ITN) has doubled in Senegal in the past 2 years, according to the 2008-09 Senegal Malaria Indicator Survey (Enquête Nationale sur le Paludsime au Sénégal (ENPS-II)). The majority of these households own and use long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN). The survey also included anemia and malaria parasite testing and information on the treatment of malaria. The ENPS-II is the second survey focused on assessing malaria prevention and treatment strategies in Senegal.

Nearly 6 in 10 households in Senegal currently own an LLIN. Ownership ranges from 34% of households in Dakar to 90% in Fatick. Rural households own more LLINs than urban households (68% compared with 48%). Use of mosquito nets has also doubled in the past two years. More than a quarter of children under five and pregnant women age 15-49 slept under an LLIN the night before the survey. Use of LLINs is highest in Fatick where 64% of children and 61% of pregnant women slept under an LLIN.

Children 6-59 months were tested for malaria parasites. Overall, 6% of children tested positive for malaria. Regionally, 23% of children in Tambacounda and 19% of children in Kolda tested positive for malaria. Malaria is much higher in rural areas than urban areas (8% compared with 1%) and among the poorest households (16% compared with 1% of the wealthiest households). In additional, children 6-59 months and women age 15-49 were tested for anemia in the survey. Overall, 79% of children under five and 64% of women age 15-49 have some form of anemia. The prevalence of anemia among children ranges from 72% in Ziguinchor to 87% in Fatick and Kolda. Among women, anemia ranges from 57% in Diourbel to 86% in Tambacounda.

Appropriate treatment of malaria is essential in the fight against malaria. Half of Senegalese women received two doses of SP/Fansidar, the recommended treatment, during an antenatal care visit. Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) ranged from 43% in Tambacounda to 71% in Diourbel. The increasing use of Rapid Diagnostic Testing in Senegal has helped to improve the accurate diagnosis and treatment of malaria. In the 2 weeks before the survey, 31% of children under five had fever. Of these children, 9% received any antimalarial medication and 5% received CTA (Amonate, Falcimon, and Arsuman), the recommended treatment. This shows a major improvement in the appropriate treatment of malaria from the 2006 survey when 22% of children with fever received antimalarial drugs, whether they had malaria or not.

About the survey: The 2008-09 Senegal Malaria Indicators Survey (ENPS-II) was sponsored by the Programme National de Lutte contre le Paludisme (PNLP)and was conducted by the Centre de Recherche pour le Dévelopmment Humain (CRDH) from November 2008 to January 2009. The survey is part of the global MEASURE Demographic and Health Surveys project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Funding for the survey was provided by the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), PNLP, and the Academy for Educational Development (AED). The Service de Parasitologie de la Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie provided technical assistance for the malaria parasite testing. Additional information about the 2008-2009 ENPS-II may be obtained from the Centre de Recherche pour le Développement Humain (CRDH), HLM Hann Maristes, Immeuble A, BP 17546, Dakar-Liberté, Sénégal ; Tel & Fax : (221) 832-63-79 ; Email : crdh@crdhvision.com

 

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