School-Based ITN Distribution Exemplar

April 9, 2021
Caption: School Net Program Distribution Rounds in PMI Priority Regions in Tanzania

This Fist Bump Friday goes out to the VectorLink ITN team for completing their recent School-Based ITN Exemplar.

This exemplar a consolidated, user-friendly, step-by-step compendium to the 2016 Guide for use by National Malaria Control Programs (NMCPs) and their partners. The purpose of the Exemplar is to explain the process, best practices, and tools needed to design and implement school-based ITN distribution. The Exemplar is intended to streamline and enhance the process and resources provided on continuousdistribution.org for designing, planning, and implementing ITN continuous distribution.

The use of the Exemplar is based on the premise that the NMCP has decided to introduce school-based ITN distribution using the systematic and evidence-based process for channel selection described on continuousdistribution.org, including the use of NetCalc.[1] The Exemplar assumes that the NMCP and its partners have determined that school-based ITN distribution is strategic, desirable, and feasible, both logistically and financially, for achieving or maintaining ITN access. The evidence-based process for channel selection described on continuousdistribution.org identifies the criteria necessary for the selection and successful implementation of school-based ITN distribution, such as high enrollment rates for eligible classes, a supportive Ministry of Education (MoE) and Ministry of Health (MoH) (and/or other relevant ministries), and strong subnational MoE structures, among other criteria.

The primary audience for the Exemplar is NMCPs and their partners that are introducing school-based ITN distribution. The secondary audience is NMCPs and their partners that have introduced and implemented school-based ITN distribution but may want to refine their approach or find efficiencies in their current program.

The Exemplar is available on the VectorLink site here with supporting documentation available here.

[1] “NetCALC/NetCALC Lite Planning Tool.” VectorWorks, U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative VectorWorks Project, 17 Sept. 2019, www.vector-works.org/resources/netcalc-planning-tool/.