ECEWS-NMEP PROJECT

Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services Project:

ECEWS, in partnership with the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP), is implementing a two-year renewable malaria project across all 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Enugu State. This comprehensive program covers 557 health facilities and includes a vital community component reaching the health facilities’ catchment populations. Our primary goal is to significantly reduce malaria-related illness and death in Enugu State by implementing sustainable, evidence-based interventions that tackle the root causes of the malaria burden.

Enugu State faces considerable challenges in malaria control, marked by high rates of outpatient visits, hospital admissions, and deaths due to malaria. Contributing factors include limited healthcare access, underuse of preventive measures like Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs), and environmental conditions conducive to mosquito breeding. This program is designed to directly address these challenges by improving access to malaria prevention tools, enhancing diagnostic and treatment services, and promoting community awareness and behavior change. We’re achieving this by encouraging greater adoption of preventive measures through Integrated Community Case Management (iCCM) and Community Health Influencers, Promoters and Services (CHIPS).

The program will concentrate on strengthening healthcare infrastructure, actively involving local communities and healthcare providers, and collaborating closely with local government areas. Through these efforts, we aim for substantial reductions in malaria prevalence and mortality across the state.

Expected Outcomes

We anticipate the following key outcomes from this program:

• Increased Uptake of Services: Greater utilization of critical services and tools by relevant populations, including ITNs, Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs), Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs), Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy (IPTp), and iCCM/CHIPS interventions.
• Reduced Malaria Burden: A decrease in the overall number of malaria cases and a reduction in its prevalence.
• Strengthened Health Systems: The development of more functional and efficient health systems within the state.

Improved Health Behaviours: Positive changes in community behaviour leading to better adoption of malaria prevention and control practices.