USAID announced the conclusion of the United States President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) Vector Control Project. This four-year effort has significantly advanced Tanzania’s fight against malaria.
Among its major accomplishments, the project distributed over 20 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets across Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, protecting over 35 million people.
USAID provided the nets through mass campaigns in schools and health facilities, focusing on vulnerable groups, including infants and pregnant women.
“The United States’ partnership with Tanzania spans over six decades, and since 2006, PMI has invested over $747 million to combat malaria in Tanzania,” said USAID Mission Director Craig Hart.
“We take pride in the achievements of the PMI Vector Control Project.
Although this specific project has ended, our commitment to partnering with the people of Tanzania and tackling malaria and other urgent public health challenges remains unwavering.”
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From 2020 to 2024, the $43 million project, led by the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, in partnership with Tropical Health LLP and Viamo PBC, supported efforts to protect 90 percent of the population at risk.
This included 14 high-prevalence regions on the Mainland and all five regions of Zanzibar, collectively covering 57 percent of Tanzania’s population.
Key accomplishments included strengthening the capacity of Tanzania’s medical supply agencies to independently manage mosquito net distribution, enhancing supply chain logistics through innovative tools and real-time tracking systems, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of malaria prevention efforts.
USAID’s PMI Resident Advisor, Naomi Serbantez, highlighted the project’s success in improving household access to mosquito nets and advancing evidence-based malaria control strategies.
By fostering local expertise and leveraging data-driven insights, the project has laid a foundation for sustained progress in malaria elimination across Tanzania.