USAID Hands Over of 280,000 Mosquito Bednets from the President’s Malaria Initiative to the Government of Benin

USAID Acting Director Catherine Andang, left, hands over a long lasting insecticide-treated mosquito bednet to Dr. Dorothée Yevide of Benin Ministry of Health.

Port of Cotonou , January 16 – On behalf of the U.S. Government, Ms. Catherine Andang, USAID Acting Director, handed over the 280,000 long lasting insecticide-treated mosquito bednets to the Government of Benin. Dr Dorothée Yevide, Deputy Director of Cabinet for the Minister of Health, represented the Government of Benin. 

In their speeches, both Catherine Andang and Dr Dorothée Yevide stressed that bednets are an important measure to prevent malaria and that the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) will ensure bednets are given to children under five years of age during immunization clinics and to pregnant women during pre-natal consultations.

The 280,000 bednets are the first of a three-part consignment of nets procured under the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) program in Benin for FY 2008.  The total number of bednets procured is 835,000. A second delivery of 280,000 is planned for April and a third shipment of 275,000 bednets is expected in June 2009.

Each health zone of Benin (including the Hubert Maga National Hospital and the Mother and Child Hospital of Cotonou) will receive PMI bednets, except those of Ouémé and Plateau, which already received bednets from UNICEF.

For FY 2008, PMI also acquired important quantities of drugs to prevent and treat malaria and microscopes to allow for rapid diagnoses.  In FY 2009, USAID will also procure anti-malarial drugs and commodities, including additional bednets and microscopes.

USAID conducted a joint site visit with UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank and the National Malaria Control Program on October 22-24, 2008 . The purpose of the visit was to assess and observe the distribution and use of artemisinin-based combination treatment ( ACT) for malaria at the health facility level. ACT is used to treat simple cases of malaria.  PMI has provided 1,073,000 treatments to the Government of Benin for distribution at health facilities. This supply complements the donation of ACTs by the World Bank Booster program to cover the total needs of Benin in 2008, and part of its needs in 2009.  Successful malaria control depends on the availability and use of ACT drugs to treat children under five of age and pregnant women who are USAID’s target population.  Before PMI, USAID was among the first donors to provide ACT drugs to treat malaria in Zou-Collines regions. The visit was successful and allowed the Government of Benin and donors working in malaria to observe successes and identify issues that are currently being addressed by the Ministry of Health.

Harriet Ahokpossi Mensah, Program Assistant.

Simplice Takoubo, Commodities Logistics Specialist, left, and Pascal Zinzindouhé, Family Health Team Leader.

The Family Health Team is pleased to welcome two new employees as of November 1, 2008 . Harriet Ahokpossi Mensah, joined the Team as Program Assistant, and Simplice Takoubo Kandem as Commodities Logistics Specialist.

Harriet brings a rich experience as Program Assistant from international organizations in Accra (UNHCR).

Simplice has accumulated extensive experience in working with the former West Africa Regional Health Program (AWARE) funded by USAID and based in Accra . Simplice will handle USAID-funded President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) commodities as well as other health commodities (contraceptives, condoms)

Ambassador Gayleatha B. Brown and former Minister of Health Kessile Tchala cut the ribbon to inaugurate the renovated health center at Doyissa

Ambassador Gayleatha B. Brown and former Minister of Health Kessilé Tchalla accompanied by former USAID/Benin Director Rudolph Thomas inaugurated 10 renovated health centers in Zou and Collines in August 2008. Ambassador Brown, the Minister of Health and the delegation stopped in Avlamè health center in Zogbodomè and Doyissa health center in Savalou to cut the ribbon and visit the renovated centers. This activity was designed under the USAID/PISAF funded project to improve work conditions for health workers and increase access to quality health services to communities.

Dr Ghislaine LOKO, the MSH/SPS Country Manager.

Between November 17 and December 12, 2008, a team of experts led by Bertrand Cheney, expert in finance and pharmaceutical commodities management, conducted a President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI)-funded evaluation of Benin’s Central Medical Store (CAME). This goal of the assessment was to identify opportunities to strengthen CAME operations and avoid stock-outs of drugs. Management Sciences for Health (MSH) is charged with implementing the recommendations. The report of this evaluation is expected in mid-January 2009. Also, MSH/SPS (Strengthening Pharmaceutical System), the PMI implementing partner for commodities logistics strengthening, opened its office in Cotonou in November 2008 with three staff members.

Ambassador Gayleatha B. Brown, right, hands out a certificate of recognition to Madam Bachabi, a Beninese wholesaler of social marketing health products.

In her remarks, Ambassador Brown highlighted the efforts of those who are engaged in the social marketing of health products, and of women in particular, who, as mothers, are at the frontline in the fight against malaria, HIV/AIDS, diarrhea and cholera, and other preventable diseases in Benin.