Dar Es Salaam — Latest survey results in Tanzania indicate that the percentage of households owning at least one insecticide treated net (ITN) has increased to 63.4% in 2009/10, up from 39.2% in 2007/08.

According to latest data released last week by the National Bureau of Statistics, the percentage of households owning at least one ITN bed net has increased from 56.3% in 2007/08 (Tanzania HIV and Malaria Indicator Survey) to 74.7% in 2009/10.

Likewise, the percentage of children aged under five years who slept under treated or untreated bed nets the night before the survey increased from 36.3% in 2007/08 to 72.6% in 2009/10, while those who slept under insecticide treated net increased from 25.7% to 64.1% under the period.

The percentage of pregnant women who slept under treated or untreated bed nets also increased from 36.0% to 67.6% under the period, the percentage of pregnant women who slept under an ITN increased from 26.7% to 57.1% in 2009/10.

Insecticide treated net as a tool for fighting malaria was innovated by Ifakara Health Institute, in Morogoro region in Tanzania and was in 2004 integrated in government's strategy to fight malaria.

This was after introduction of socially marketed ITNs in a population of 480,000 people in Kilombero district through the Kilombero Net Project (KINET) in 1997.

Recently the Institute received the 2010 National Award for Research in Science and Technology (NARST) from the Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) for its work on development and the social marketing of Insecticide Treated Nets, using "ZUIA MBU" brand.

The Innovation Award which was received by IHI Director Dr Salim Abdulla, went with a trophy plus Tshs 20 million (US$ 13,330) cheque.

The award is in recognition of IHI's innovation of ITNs and a voucher system of making the nets accessible to pregnant women and children under the age of five years.

IHI Director Dr Abdulla said the KINET project was a joint initiative of IHI, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institution, Swiss Development Corporation and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.