Success for malaria scheme

A scheme to help fight malaria in Africa has been hailed as a success, after a decade of work.

The NetMark project has been running in the US to build a mosquito net industry in Africa and protect families from malaria.

New data has shown that the initiative is proving 'effective, sustainable and replicable'.

The voucher system allows poorer people to get free or subsidised nets, with seven African countries benefiting from the initiative.

Major investments from private companies have come off the back of the project, as companies realised the profitability as well as the help providing malaria nets can bring.

Juan Manuel Urrutia, deputy director of NetMark, said: "We worked ourselves out of a job. They don't need us anymore, and I'm proud of that.

"There are now 41 African distributors who will continue to sell thousands or millions of nets in those seven countries. The voucher system is now entrenched."

Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Ghana, Uganda, Ethiopia and Zambia have all been involved in the NetMark scheme.

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