By RFIPubliée the 31-08-2019Modified the 31-08-2019 at 08:46

After a period of funding disruption due to the fact that Congo-Brazzaville could finance its fight against malaria alone, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has just returned to the country that launched Friday August 30th a household enumeration campaign in preparation for a mass distribution campaign of impregnated mosquito nets; the first since 2012.

" A mosquito net distribution campaign is a good thing in part, but it's better to clean up the city upstream, " responded Francine Moundele, a mother who learned through the press the start of a campaign counting households; an operation that precedes the distribution of more than three million mosquito nets across the Congo thanks, in part, to financial support from the Global Fund.

The crisis makes the country eligible again

This organization had stopped helping the Congo classified by the World Bank, upper-middle-income country; so able to take care of himself. Because of the ongoing economic crisis, Congo has been reclassified to the lower end, thus again eligible for funding from the Global Fund to the delight of Dr. Jean-Mermoz Youndouka coordinator of the National Malaria Control Program (PNLS).

First cause of absenteeism at school and work

" It's no secret ," he says, " that for five years our country was no longer eligible for the Global Fund. It was necessary to conduct a very high level of advocacy for the Global Fund to return. If we succeed in this campaign (distribution of more than 3 million mosquito nets), the partnership with the Global Fund will continue, "said Dr. Youndouka.

The leading cause of school and work absenteeism, malaria accounts for 42% of the hospital mortality rate among children under 5 years old.

► To read also: [Reportage] Congo: Malaria, cause of absenteeism at school and at work

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