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TAMTAM Malawi

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For more information:    
TAMTAM advocates (pdf)         

Newsletter (pdf)      
 Issue #1 (February 2004)

TAM TAM

Together Against Malaria (TAMTAM) is an initiative towards an Africa free from malaria and mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Our mission is twofold: 1) to protect pregnant women and children from malaria by increasing the number of pregnant women using mosquito nets and 2) to increase the number of pregnant women who seek prenatal care services, including programs aimed at reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. To these ends, TAMTAM provides free mosquito nets to pregnant women through prenatal clinics. We distribute nets treated with safe long-lasting insecticide as recommended by the World Health Organization. Such nets are highly effective as they establish a zone of protection, which covers the people sleeping under the net as well as anyone in the same household. By providing the nets through prenatal clinics TAMTAM gives an incentive for women to seek early prenatal services, including voluntary HIV counseling and testing. TAMTAM ensures the continued effectiveness of its program by monitoring the distribution of the nets at the clinic; by conducting random home visits to ensure that the nets are used properly; and through the analysis of data collected from participating clinics.

The control of malaria is a very serious challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa. Each year, 1.5 to 2.7 million people die of malaria attacks. Infants and pregnant women are the most vulnerable. Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes. In the last 15 years, insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) have proved to be the best means of controlling malaria at the household level. They reduce considerably child and maternal mortality in both endemic and epidemic areas. Studies in Africa have shown that giving nets can reduce child mortality by up to 33%. However, mosquito nets are still scarcely used in Africa, or, when they are used, they are not properly treated.  Nets and insecticide are too expensive for families at risk of malaria, who are among the poorest in the world. Every year at least 24 million pregnancies occur among women in malaria prone areas of Africa, yet less than 5% of pregnant women have access to effective interventions.

TAMTAM WORKS! In 2003, TAMTAM was introduced in three health clinics in Busia, Kenya. An evaluation of our work in Busia indicated that TAMTAM increased prenatal care attendance by 117% and increased HIV testing by 84%. TAMTAM's program also proved to be extremely cost-effective, saving the lives of 18 babies per 1,000 pregnancies at a cost of $441 per child life saved.

TAMTAM was created in December 2002. Thanks to generous donors, TAMTAM was able to start distributing treated nets to pregnant women in Busia District, Kenya in June 2003. Since then we have expanded distribution of bed nets to other districts in Kenya and have begun distributing nets in Malawi. Help us protect more mothers and babies throughout Africa!

DONATE A NET TODAY AND SAVE A LIFE!