TY - JOUR T1 - School Distribution as Keep-Up Strategy to Maintain Universal Coverage of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets: Implementation and Results of a Program in Southern Tanzania JF - Global Health: Science and Practice JO - GLOB HEALTH SCI PRACT SP - 251 LP - 263 DO - 10.9745/GHSP-D-16-00040 VL - 4 IS - 2 AU - Shabbir Lalji AU - Jeremiah M Ngondi AU - Narjis G Thawer AU - Autman Tembo AU - Renata Mandike AU - Ally Mohamed AU - Frank Chacky AU - Charles D Mwalimu AU - George Greer AU - Naomi Kaspar AU - Karen Kramer AU - Bertha Mlay AU - Kheri Issa AU - Jane Lweikiza AU - Anold Mutafungwa AU - Mary Nzowa AU - Ritha A Willilo AU - Waziri Nyoni AU - David Dadi AU - Mahdi M Ramsan AU - Richard Reithinger AU - Stephen M Magesa Y1 - 2016/06/20 UR - http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/4/2/251.abstract N2 - A school-based net distribution program, piloted in the Southern Zone of Tanzania to sustain ≥80% universal net coverage previously attained through mass campaigns, successfully issued nets to nearly all eligible students and teachers. Keys to success included:Effective collaboration between the Ministry of Health, local government, and implementing partnersSocial mobilization to sensitize the community about the importance of net useDevelopment of a mobile application to facilitate data collection and analysisTanzania successfully scaled up coverage of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) through mass campaigns. To sustain these gains, a school-based approach was piloted in the country’s Southern Zone starting in 2013, called the School Net Program 1 (SNP1). We report on the design, implementation, monitoring, and outputs of the second round (SNP2) undertaken in 2014. SNP2 was conducted in all schools in Lindi, Mtwara, and Ruvuma regions, targeting students in primary (Standards 1, 3, 5, and 7) and secondary (Forms 2 and 4) schools and all teachers. In Lindi region, 2 additional classes (Standards 2 and 4) were targeted. LLIN distribution data were managed using an Android software application called SchoolNet. SNP2 included 2,337 schools, 473,700 students, and 25,269 teachers. A total of 5,070 people were trained in LLIN distribution (487 trainers and 4,583 distributors), and 4,392 (434 ward and 3,958 village) community change agents undertook sensitization and mobilization. A total of 507,775 LLINs were distributed to schools, with 464,510 (97.9% of those registered) students and 24,206 (95.8% of those registered) school teachers receiving LLINs. LLIN ownership and use is expected to have increased, potentially further reducing the burden of malaria in the Southern Zone of Tanzania. ER -