Mosquito Net, Bed Canopy - Blog

The Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria (Global Fund) has made a grant of 133 million dollars to the Ethiopian Ministry of Health (MoH) to support the country’s effort to fight malaria.

The agreement was signed by Professor Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund, and Tedros Adhanom, PhD, Minister of the Ministry of Health, who is also the chair of the fund, last Thursday at the ministry’s head office. Meshesha Shewarega, PhD, Executive Director of the Christian Relief and Development Association (CRDA) and Tesfaye Yacob, Board Member of the Ethiopian Inter-Faith Forum for Development (EIFFD), also co-signed the agreement.

The fund, an independent public-private partnership first proposed by former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan back in 2001, and officially formed in 2002, aims to support Ethiopia’s malaria prevention and build the capacity of the health sector for the coming two years as part of the Global Fund’s Round 8 grant.

The Global Fund raises funds and pool money from governments, businesses and individuals around the world and channels them into grant programs to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

“Over the past few years, the ministry, along with its development partners, has registered substantial results in reducing the morbidity rate instigated by malaria,” Dr. Tedros noted at the event, adding that the Round 8 grant will be used to build on the robust progress on malaria control.

The genesis of the Global Fund was an article published in the British medical journal The Lancet by Harvard academics Amir Attaran and Jeffrey Sachs. They, in January 2001, called for an order of magnitude increase in foreign aid budgets for HIV/AIDS over those which researchers called for in the 1990s.

The decision to create the new funding stream was taken by heads of state at the 2001 G8 Summit in Genoa, Italy, at the urging of then United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, and largely along the lines Attaran and Sachs described.

The first secretariat was established in January 2002 and Richard Feachem was appointed as its first Executive Director in July of that year. The September 2005 conference in London mobilized three billion euros, just over half the pledges at the Gleneagles G8 summit. In December 2002, the fund made its first disbursement to grantees.

Professor Kazatchkine said that while 97.3 million dollars of the grant will be used to support malaria related activities, the remaining 35.7 million dollars will be spent on cross-cutting health-system related activities.

“The funding from this grant will build on the impressive results achieved to date in the control of malaria in Ethiopia and complement the efforts of the Government and partners to achieve key goals,” he remarked.

The board of the Global Fund elected Tedros Adhanom as its chair and Ernest Loevinsohn, Director General of the Program against Hunger, Malnutrition and Disease in the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) as its Vice-Chair at the beginning of July. Tedros and Loevinsohn are serving on the board for the period commencing 6 July 2009 until the adjournment of the first meeting of 2011. Tedros succeeded Rajat Gupta, a senior partner and former managing director of McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm.

In Ethiopia, two grants worth 214.5 million dollars from the Global Fund and additional support from other donors have helped the Government implement an aggressive strategy of malaria control.

Until recently, Ethiopia was lagging behind many African countries in combating malaria, with less than five per cent of households owning a mosquito net in 2003. In 2004, the Government set an ambitious new target to have all households in high-risk areas own at least two long-lasting mosquito nets by 2008.

Ethiopia had exceeded this target by March 2008 after delivering 20.5 million bed nets, representing a three-fold increase and achieving 95 per cent coverage in endemic areas. Along with expanded access to effective treatment, this scale-up has fueled significant reductions in malaria incidence and mortality, with a 60 per cent reduction in malaria cases and a 50 per cent reduction in child deaths from malaria registered between 2004 and 2006.

One of the wonderful things about tropical Hawaii is the lack of typically evil tropical critters. Critters that are poisonous, or gigantically grotesque, or both.

On land at least, there is a distinct absence of such critters. The worst we were told about were some nippy spiders, as well as the dreaded centipede. Although venomous, they don’t carry the type that is poisonous to humans, but they can indeed pack a punch with their bites. Many people have landed in hospitals with baseball-sized wounds from the swelling, begging for something to deal with the pain.

Well, in our trial by fire here in Hawaii during our first week, we have already become acquainted with the centipede bite.

Kelly awoke one night with a series of “ouches” that woke me up too. Thunderstorms had been berating us through the night (as usual for us), so his first impression was that he was being shocked on his ankle, and he was somehow conducting a lightning strike. The pain continued as he eased into consciousness, at which point he realized he had probably instead been bitten by something.

I too, was feeling a significant amount of pain on the back of my left hand, as well as my right bicep. I was tired enough, though, to try to sleep through the pain, as I figured it was something inexplicably muscular.

It was when Kelly tossed out the “maybe it’s a centipede” phrase that I leapt from bed before he could get through the word “cent”.

We tore apart the bed, looking hard for something we could identify as the culprit, as we nursed and cursed our wounds. We both had local swelling and continuous burning pain. Kelly likened his pain to that of a cigarette lighter being held to his ankle, and I was just too tired and confused to identify my pains.

Of course finding nothing, we cautiously and nervously crept back into bed for a rotten night of tossing and turning carefully so as not to disturb the verifiable layer of centipedes crawling over us and waiting to for the right moment to attack.

The following morning we showed Rick our wounds, and he verified that they were indeed centipede bites. He wasn’t so sure about Kelly’s wound – he said it might have been a certain type of spider that can leave ugly blistery crescent-shaped marks, but Kelly’s didn’t quite look like that either. The thought of being attacked by not one but two ugly critters whilst sleeping at night certainly did not put our minds at ease for the next few nights of restless sleep!

Both of us were lucky in that our bites weren’t as bad as they can be, since the centipede(s) were quite small (Rick could tell by the spacing of the bites – they dig in with their two front fangs to bite, not their tail pincers as most people think).

Apparently centipedes here can grow to eight inches in length and almost half an inch wide. Now that’s a bite that yields baseball-sized swelling and hospital-worthy pain.

The irony of the whole episode is that centipede bites are apparently quite rare here. Rick says he may see one or two in a year, and has developed something of an immunity to their bites. Chris had never seen the likes of a centipede or spider, and hadn’t been bitten by anything more than a mosquito in his seven months here.

But us: no. We must get bitten within our first week, whilst still trying to learn how to just plain survive here. All we can say to this experience is at least we aren’t starting out in a place like Costa Rica, where the weather is just as oppressive, the bugs are just as plentiful, but there they carry poison and disease, and we can’t even communicate in the same language.

I have to wonder if our time here is preparing us for other less hospitable places in the world, or scaring us away from them.

I just returned from a full day of mosquito net distribution and am amazed by how absolutely huge my Tukul now seems.  We distributed just over 300 bednets across 3 small and very rural villages by going house-to-house and giving one bednet per bed.  What a great introduction to this rural way of life…and a totally eye-opening experience. 

 There is only one road and the houses line both sides of it so, in principle, it is a pretty simple exercise.  After a short sensitization session by our Community Health Educator, we walked from one end of the village to the other stopping at each house, meeting the owner, counting the number of actual beds and handing out a corresponding number of mosquito nets. 

 The Reality

 I would walk up to the next house, throwing out a happy “Jambo” (…hello in Swahili and one of the very few words I’ve learned) and tickling the toes of the ever-present child that always seems to be tied to Mom’s back.  Stooping low, I would peer inside another tiny mud-walled hut that is their home.  It is always pitch dark and, after a few seconds for my eyes to adjust, I could complete my assessment. 

In one corner, a fire would be smoldering and the smoke would sting my eyes a bit.  The roof and walls would be totally black and sticky with soot.  Beside the fire, there might be a bit of plastic for sitting or maybe a bamboo mat, an outdated calendar hanging on the wall, maybe a pot or two.  A blanket if they were lucky.  On the opposite side, there would be a slightly raised bamboo shelf where the parents would sleep.  That’s it.

Complications

…and just exactly how do you define a bed in this environment?  Does a bamboo mat count?  What about a piece of plastic where the children sleep?  What if the family is away working in their fields and have (naturally!) taken their beds with them?  The danger is then that you discriminate against those who can only afford a piece of plastic and a blanket for their children to sleep on. 

 You have 4 children?  Ok, you can have 2 mosquito nets.  Although I cannot imagine how all 6 of you will sleep there tonight, it is enough to cover the entire floor so I’m sure you’ll manage.  Phew!  On to the next house…

 Home Sweet Home

 Back in the MSF compound, my Tukul suddenly seems huge and somewhat extravagant.  Concrete floors, brick walls, a wooden door, windows.  Tall enough for me to actually stand up in.  A set of shelves full of clothing, books, toiletries and a few treats.  A small table and chair for letter writing.  A picture of my fiancé and family in simple wooden frames.  A space large enough for an entire family just for me.  My own bed with a pillow, mattress, sheets and, of course, a mosquito net. 

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 19: A novel scheme to provide mosquito bed nets to the people to effectively fight malaria was launched by Odisha Government here on Wednesday.
Under the scheme christened `Mo Masahri’ (my mosquito net), long lasting insecticidal bed nets (LLIN) would be provided for pregnant women in high burden areas of Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput (KBK) districts; students in tribal school hostels and general community in endemic areas as a core strategy for reduction of malaria morbidity and mortality in the state.
The scheme would be implemented under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme by the Health and Family Welfare Department of the state government.
The new malaria control programme is supported by Government of India, National Rural Health Mission and other partners such as World Bank, GFATM, WHO, DFID, T&MST, RMRC, NIMR, VCRC and London School of Tropical Medicine.
The programme has brought in a paradigm shift in the malaria programme strategy since 2008-09, wherein significant changes have been introduced. The advocacy message for the campaign has been kept: `Let us join together and fight malaria’.
Among the new commodities that are being introduced in the programme are rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits, treatment using artesunate combination therapy (ACT) for falciparum malaria and LLINs. While other strategies have been piloted in certain areas of the state earlier, LLINs are being introduced for the first time in the state.
Pregnant women and children under 5 years of age are particularly vulnerable to malaria.
Infection with P. falciparum during pregnancy increases the mother’s risk of developing severe disease and anemia, and increases the risk of stillbirth, premature and low birth weight babies.
Premature and low birth weight babies are less likely to survive, thereby contributing to a higher neonatal mortality rate and infant mortality rate.
It is estimated that acute and severe clinical disease in non-immune pregnant women may result in up to 60 percent fetal loss and over 10 percent maternal deaths, including 50 percent mortality for severe disease.
Each LLIN given to a pregnant woman would effectively protect her during pregnancy and will protect her and her newborn child for 3-4 years.
According to official sources, the distribution of the mosquito bed nets would start in KBK districts on a priority basis. LLINs would be distributed to each ANM as per her previous ANC coverage.

A review of 22 randomized controlled trials of ITNs found (for Plasmodium falciparum malaria) that ITNs can reduce deaths in children by one fifth and episodes of malaria by half.

More specifically, in areas of stable malaria “ITNs reduced the incidence of uncomplicated malarial episodes by 50% compared to no nets, and 39% compared to untreated nets” and in areas of unstable malaria “by 62% compared to no nets and 43% compared to untreated nets”. As such the review calculated that for every 1000 children protected by ITNs, 5.5 lives would be saved each year.

Mosquito nets treated with insecticides—known as insecticide treated nets (ITNs) — were developed in the 1980s for malaria prevention. Insecticide-treated nets (ITN) are estimated to be twice as effective as untreated nets,and offer greater than 70% protection compared with no net.These nets are dip treated using a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide such as deltamethrin or permethrin which will double the protection over a non-treated net by killing and repelling mosquitoes.

The distribution of mosquito nets impregnated with insecticides such as permethrin or deltamethrin has been shown to be an extremely effective method of malaria prevention, and it is also one of the most cost-effective methods of prevention. These nets can often be obtained for around $2.50–$3.50 (2–3 euros) from the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO), and others. ITNs have been shown to be the most cost-effective prevention method against malaria and are part of WHO’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

For maximum effectiveness, the nets should be re-impregnated with insecticide every six months. This process poses a significant logistical problem in rural areas. New technologies like Olyset or DawaPlus allow for production of long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets (LLINs), which release insecticide for approximately 5 years,and cost about US$5.50. ITNs protect people sleeping under the net and simultaneously kill mosquitoes that contact the net. Some protection is also provided to others by this method, including people sleeping in the same room but not under the net.

Unfortunately, standard ITNs must be replaced or re-treated with insecticide after six washes and, therefore, are not seen as a convenient, effective long-term solution to the malaria problem.As a result, the mosquito netting and pesticide industries developed so-called long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets (LLINs), which also use pyrethroid insecticides. There are two types of LLINs, one which is polyester netting and the insecticide is bound to the external surface of the netting fiber using a resin and another which incorporates the insecticide into a polyethylene fiber which then releases the insecticide slowly over 5 years. Both types can be washed at least 20 times but physical durability will vary, a survey carried out in Tanzania concluded that effective life of polyester nets was 2 to 3 years (Erlanger et al., 2004, Med Vet Entomol 18: 153-160), with polyethylene LLINs there is data to support > 5 years life with trials in showing nets which were still effective after 7 years (Tami, A et al. Malaria Journal 2004, 3:19). When calculating the cost of LLINs for large scale malaria prevention campaigns the cost should be divided by the number of years of expected life, hence a slightly more expensive net may be cheaper over time. In addition the logistical costs of replacing nets should be added to the calculation.

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To prepare for hunting you should have a gun,tree stand,hunting blind and hunting chair.After the fun of shooting you will need gun cleaning kit . If you are starting out, the basics can be acquired as a package deal, the kit from Outers being typical. Cleaning kits typically include a three section aluminum cleaning rod of appropriate diameter for the caliber purchased (one section if it is a pistol cleaning kit), two tips to hold patches, cloth cleaning patches, a bore brush, a bottle of liquid powder solvent, and a bottle of gun oil. Some kits include a small tube of gun grease, and if it is a shotgun cleaning kit it usually includes a bore swab. To use one of these kits, merely follow the directions that come with the cleaning kit.

In addition to the basic cleaning kit I recommend the purchase of a silicone cloth. This is used to wipe fingerprints off the gun after handling and replaces the traditional oily rag. Silicon cloths are excellent protection against "rust prints."

A good accessory to keep with your cleaning kit is a bore light. These are basically penlight flashlights with a light conducting plastic tip that is bent at an angle. The plastic tip can be inserted into the breech of a firearm so that the light shines down the bore. A bore light makes it easy to see the inside of a gun barrel.

Tree stands are a popular and very successful way to hunt trophy bucks!

You should acquire this information of tree stand:

Deer stands – including all hunting tree stands and big game hunting stands such as ladder stands, climbers, loc on stands, tripod and box stands

Tree stand plans – if you want to build your own stand, what must be considered

Tree stand brands – information on all the popular brands

Tree stand accessories – from a tree stand roof, to a bow holder, tree stand security to tree steps, it’s all here

Tree stand hunting tactics – find out how to maximize your hunting results with tips and tricks

Tree stand safety – with information on tree stand accidents, safety in tree stands and using a tree stand harness

So which tree stand is the best for hunting? The answer is it depends!

It depends on the environment you are hunting in, the type of trees available, and your abilities/comfort at height.

If you read the information under ‘Tree Stands‘, you will have the answer that is right for you.

If you want to know information on tree stand hunting, strategies and tips, accident information, product information, and techniques for getting the most of your tree stand, you can send us an E-mail.

our E-mail is susan@northforest.cn

A hunting chair for elevating hunters and animals into trees is shown. The hunting chair comprises an upright, hollow frame carrying a bracket below it. A reel is rotatably mounted in the bracket, and a cable is attached to the reel, extends through the hollow frame, and exits through an open top. Foot pedals are attached to the reel for rotating the reel and winding the cable around it to elevate the chair into a tree. Brackets brace the chair against the tree being climbed and a pair of brakes on the reel assure that the hunting chair will not fall uncontrollably.

A blind hunting chair lets you sit comfortably whether you are around a campfire or in the woods. Here shows what the blind hunting chair is like. Made with U-bend legs for strength, the hunting chair is easy to carry. The hunting chair features a zippered utility bag that is attached under the seat and a carry strap. Seat of the hunting chair measures 11 by 13 inches and the chair itself it 15 inches tall.