Pakachere Institute of Health and Development Communication (IHDC), with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USaid), will soon implement a project to promote malaria prevention knowledge among children in Mchinji District.
The three-year project, which will be implemented through Counterpart International, aims at improving knowledge and practices in malaria prevention and treatment among primary school and out-of-school children and their surrounding communities.
Briefing the Mchinji district executive committee (DEC) on Monday, project manager Basimenye Nhlema said the first phase of implementation will target school-going children between five and 14 years in 24 primary schools and three health centres in traditional authorities Mavwere, Dambe and Mlonyeni in the district.
Said Nhlema: “All three targeted health centres, namely Kochilira, Kapiri and Nkhwazi recorded high prevalence of malaria compared to the rest of the health facilities in Mchinji. By targeting the three, Pakachere will be reaching out to a population of 147 779.”
The overall objective of the project is to improve knowledge and practices in malaria prevention and treatment in targeted school communities in Mchinji by 2018.