By Tory Watts | Development Assistant
Exciting progress has been made on Malaria No More's mosquito net distributions in Tanzania, and we're delighted to provide GlobalGiving users with this update on all of the new developments.
In September 2009, Ray Chambers, MNM co-founder and the United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria, and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete convened the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, a coalition of 26 heads of state dedicated to ending deaths from the disease. This remarkable initiative gained even more support when 20 African Heads of State agreed to support mechanisms to accelerate the procurement, production and delivery of malaria commodities, giving universal coverage of long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) by December 31, 2010 immediate priority.
Tanzania's leadership in and commitment to the fight to end malaria deaths has placed the country on track to be one of the first and largest African countries to achieve universal coverage of mosquito nets. Despite some delays in distribution, Malaria No More and its partners continue to work to achieve this east African country's ambitious - but achievable - goal of covering every Tanzanian with a net.
Net distributions in Tanzania received an enormous boost early this year thanks to the February 2010 launch of the ZINDUKA! initiative, which means "Wake up!" in Swahili. The nationwide campaign, promoted by high-profile Tanzanian pop stars and President Kikwete himself, works in tandem with the country's "Malaria Haikubaliki" campaign, a reminder to Tanzanians that "Malaria is not acceptable." Together, the advocacy and mosquito net distributions being conducted by Malaria No More and its partners on the ground both encourage and empower Tanzanians to take personal responsibility for releasing their country from the deadly grip of malaria.
Tanzania continues to make bold strides to achieve its goal of universal coverage of mosquito nets by the end of 2010. Professor Awa Marie Coll-Seck, Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria partnership, highlighted the country's progress in setting a "gold standard" in reducing malaria deaths during her speech commemorating World Malaria Day 2010. Malaria No More's on-going net distributions, and GlobalGiving users' crucial donations, continue to support Tanzania's continued progress in achieving universal coverage and ending malaria deaths.
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