Press Release: July 10, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Pilgrim's "Move On Malaria" Project Dramatically Reduced Malaria in Uganda Pilot Project

Pilgrim, A Seattle-based Christian Relief Organization, Plans To Expand Program in 2009

Seattle, WA, USA - July 10, 2009

Malaria is a preventable and curable disease. Yet almost 250-million people currently have the disease. In 2006, almost 1-million people died from the disease - most of them children. In fact, a child dies of malaria every 30 seconds somewhere in the world.

That's why Pilgrim, a Christian relief organization with its U.S. headquarters based in Seattle, rolled out its Move on Malaria (MoM). Move on Malaria is a comprehensive malaria control program conceived in the wake of massive flooding in the Teso sub region of Uganda in late 2007.

Pilgrim had already been working in the region, doing disaster relief after severe floods devastated the area in 2007. Because of the standing water left by the floods, the likelihood of a malaria outbreak was great. Pilgrim President Calvin Echodu wondered, "Could we prevent this outbreak before it got started?"

It would be a tough fight, as the region already had 550,000 cases. But Pilgrim, working closely with the Uganda Ministry of Health, designed an aggressive, multi-pronged approach comprising four main components:

1. Information, communication, and education (IEC)
2. Indoor residual spraying (IRS)
3. Mass malaria treatment for children and case management for adults
4. Intermittent prophylactic therapy (IPTp) for all pregnant women

Two important additional components have been made possible with the generous support of two of Pilgrim's partners:

1. Deworming and vitamin A supplementation for children and adults (Agathos Foundation)
2. Administration of standard childhood vaccinations for all children ages 5 and under. (International Midwife Assistance through the Teso Safe Motherhood Project)

The Katakwi district, northeast of Soroti and particularly compromised by the floods, was chosen as the first out of the seven Teso districts to pilot the MoM program. Katakwi has a population of approximately 150,000 people, several thousand of whom are concentrated in internally displaced peoples (IDP) camps due to on-going conflict with a neighboring tribe. Because of the populations in these camps, a total or 172,260 were actually served, or 114 percent of the district's population.

Rapport has been built with the Katakwi district officials over the past two years through Pilgrim's mobile medical team outreach to the people in the IDP camps. Disease burden in the district sky rocketed after the floods hit the district from July to November 2007. An epidemiological survey conducted in the district in 2007, indicated that 73 percent of outpatient department attendance in health units were attributed to malaria. Malaria accounted for 59 percent of inpatient admissions while it was responsible for 50 percent of patient mortality. Thus, Katakwi was a natural starting point for MoM.

MoM was officially launched at a well-attended ceremony on April 12, 2008. The ceremony, and subsequent public communications via radio and other means, was important in order to attain the 85 percent participation rate needed for the program to be effective. In addition, an entomological baseline survey was carried out in the Katakwi district by a team lead by a Ministry of Health entomologist and vector control expert. Malaria prevalence was found to be close to 35 percent, consistent with the known prevalence in the region.

Then, Pilgrim-trained teams went into the field. While in the field, each team attended to at least 500 persons daily. The teams were closely supervised by district, Ministry of Health, and Pilgrim personnel and followed strict protocols. Children ages five and under were vaccinated with the standard childhood vaccinations if they had not already received them. Adults and children were dewormed with mebendazole. With the exclusion of women of childbearing age, all were also given vitamin A supplements. The program was met with overwhelming enthusiasm from district officials, Ministry of Health officials, and the people of the Katakwi district.

So what were the results? A dramatic drop in malaria morbidity has already become obvious in health centers throughout the district. Reports of nearly empty children's wards and piles of now unused mattresses being moved into storage are now reaching the Pilgrim office. Actual malaria prevalence will again be determined by conducting a survey, similar to the baseline survey, later this year.

"It's obvious that the program was a success even beyond our expectations," Echodu said. "In some areas, the incidence of malaria fell by more than 90 percent. And the successful relationships we developed will help us replicate this program to other parts of Uganda, which we hope to do beginning as early as this year."

About Pilgrim: Pilgrim is a Christian aid, relief, and development organization operating primarily in Uganda, with U.S. headquarters in Seattle. Pilgrim provides disaster relief as well as ongoing aid and development assistance to widows, orphans, and others in Uganda.

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