Tanzania Aims To Prevent Malaria in Pregnant Women, Children

The Tanzanian Ministry of Health on Oct. 22 launched the country's first malaria initiative aimed at preventing the disease among pregnant women and children under five years old, the Sunday Times/IPPMedia reports. According to Dr. Ali Mzige, director of the health ministry's Preventive Services, approximately 18,000 people, most of whom are children younger than five, die from the disease in the country annually. The new program aims to halve the number of malaria patients in Tanzania by 2010, and plans to distribute mosquito netting to 60% of the country's pregnant women by next year, according to Mzige. Pregnant women also will be given vouchers to obtain netting for a reduced price (Kigwangallah, Sunday Observer/IPP Media, 10/24).