Malaria is one of the world's most destructive diseases, affecting roughly 250 million people every year. Of these, nearly one million will die. The vast majority of those killed by malaria are young children, pregnant women and those infected by HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.
Crown Agents works with partners to help reduce this toll and the disease's devastating effects on some of the world's poorest communities. We have been carrying out procurement, inspection and logistics support on projects financed by donors, governments and NGOs for many years.
Our expertise includes support to the following key interventions to control the spread of malaria:
- Prevention - including the use of long-lasting insecticide treated nets, indoor residual spraying, and intermittent preventive therapy for pregnant women to prevent infection
- Early case detection and reliable diagnosis - including microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests
- Prompt effective treatment and case management - notably through Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs)
We have taken an active involvement in formulating specifications and developing international quality assurance and inspection standards for bednets, with regular advisory support to the World Health Organisation.
In addition to procurement, inspection and logistics support for essential malaria commodities, we also regularly provide construction and engineering expertise to build clinics, warehouses and health facilities in regional and remote locations throughout the African continent. Crown Agents has also provided payroll and financial management support to malaria projects. We have recently worked with partners to develop effective supply chain strategies to improve malaria case management.
We have strong links with partners working in malaria prevention and control, as well as with recipients, donors, research establishments and manufacturers of malaria commodities. We use this wide base of knowledge and experience to effectively deliver the products and services needed to control this deadly disease.