About PSI Malaria Control

PSI provides malaria control support to national Ministries of Health in over 30 countries worldwide, including 25 in sub-Saharan Africa. PSI tailors its malaria control programs to the unique environment in each country and the needs of the Ministry of Health in line with achieving the Abuja Targets and Millennium Development Goals. PSI’s malaria control programs include delivery of insecticide treated mosquito nets, pre-packaged malaria treatment, behavior change communications, and operational research.

Historically, a "one size fits all" product delivery model has consistently failed to deliver sustained malaria control. PSI believes the key to rapid scale up and sustained coverage is through a combination of public and private sector delivery strategies which include free distribution through campaigns and health facilities as well as subsidized distribution through private sector channels. For example, in Mali PSI assisted the Ministry of Health in the delivery of over 2 million ITNs through a mass distribution campaign in 2007. The goal was to rapidly scale up coverage while continuing to distribute highly subsidized ITNs to pregnant women and children through ante-natal clinic services for sustained access. Similarly, PSI is working with the Department of Malaria Control in Kenya to distribute ITNs free of charge to pregnant women and children through over 3,000 ante-natal clinics across the country while continuing to support a robust subsidized distribution program through Kenya’s thriving commercial sector.

PSI utilizes a similar public and private sector partnership approach to the delivery of malaria treatment products and services. PSI is supporting ministries of health and partners to scale up home based management of malaria by ensuring a consistent supply of affordable quality pre-packaged malaria treatment (PPT) through the public and private sector. Interventions include improving providers’ knowledge of key issues in malaria treatment and compliance with national treatment guidelines, implementing communications campaigns designed to improve treatment seeking behavior and adherence to recommended drug regimens.