A Malagasy mother and child next to an ITN received through a PMI-supported mass distribution campagin. Credit: Allison Bellemvire, PMI
During World Malaria Month in 2014, Madagascar Peace Corps volunteer, Marcelo Morinigo, in collaboration with a local radio station in southeast Madagascar, created a radio spot that promoted sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) in order to help prevent malaria. This key malaria prevention message reached thousands of people every night during the month of April. The spot proved to be a highly effective medium for disseminating malaria prevention messages in an area where most people spend their evenings listening to the radio with their families. Listen to the message in Malagasy.
English translation:
“Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Marcelo. I’m a health volunteer in the Ivato community. Malaria is a big problem here in Africa. A child dies every 45 seconds of malaria. It’s very sad. I bet you know someone who has been infected with malaria before, and it’s time to start protecting yourself. Everyone should sleep under an insecticide-treated mosquito net every night. When you sleep under a mosquito net it helps to protect you from the mosquitoes that carry malaria. We can all do our part to prevent malaria from spreading in our communities. We all have the ability to fight malaria! Good luck and goodnight! Thank you very much.”