VNI Service Award Finalist Pierre Omadjela Uses FrontlineSMS To Raise Malaria Prevention Awareness In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo

Congratulations to Pierre Omadjela for being recognized as a finalist for Cisco’s VNI Service Awards for his work in healthcare awareness using FrontlineSMS!

The World Health Organization estimates 80,000 citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) died in 2010 from Malaria. The mosquito-transmitted disease is responsible for 40% of the mortality in Congolese children under five, and in a country where a quarter of the population lack access to healthcare facilities, promoting prevention has proven to be more effective than only treating infected patients. The President’s Malaria Initiative, launched in 2005 through USAID, provides malaria prevention and treatment in five provinces, which make up 26% of the DRC’s health zones.

The United Methodist Church also has an impact on malaria prevention in Africa by distributing more than 1.2 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets and running 300 clinics and health posts. [...]