More than 800,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets — a key weapon for fighting malaria — were distributed as part of a nationwide measles vaccination campaign in Togo. The campaign, which took place during the week of December 13-19, was the largest integrated health intervention of its kind to date.
Partners supporting the campaign include the Canadian International Development Agency, Norwegian Aid, the Vaccine Fund, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Vodafone Foundation, DHL, Sanofi-Synthelabo, Vestergaard-Frandsen, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Canadian Red Cross, the Norwegian Red Cross, the New Zealand Red Cross and Air France. Social mobilization, the process of educating and encouraging families to bring their children to be vaccinated, was carried out by more than 10,000 Togolese Red Cross volunteers, the Peace Corps and Freedom from Hunger.
The campaign builds on successful pilot schemes in Ghana and Zambia which raised household net coverage in pilot areas from 7% to 80% (Ghana) and 29% to 85% (Zambia).