Ahead of World Malaria Day 2024, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria has announced that the introduction of 56 million state-of-the-art mosquito nets in Nigeria and 16 other sub-Saharan African countries has resulted in the prevention of an estimated 13 million malaria cases and 24,600 deaths. The effort was part of the New Nets Project, an initiative funded by Unitaid and the Global Fund.

The New Nets Project, led by the Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC), aimed to tackle the growing threat of insecticide resistance by piloting the use of dual-insecticide nets in malaria-endemic countries between 2019 and 2022. It was found that Anopheles mosquitoes, carriers of malaria, increasingly developed resistance to the pyrethroid insecticides used in standard nets, reducing their effectiveness.

To combat this, the project introduced two types of state-of-the-art mosquito nets. The BASF Interceptor G2 ITNs were coated with chlorfenapyr, a new generation pyrrole insecticide, in combination with the standard pyrethroid insecticide. The DCT's Royal Guard net incorporated a combination of pyriproxyfen and pyrethroid into the net's yarn. Both types of nets proved to be more effective against mosquitoes with pyrethroid resistance compared to standard nets.

Through the New Nets Project and partner funding, a total of 56 million mosquito nets were distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, with 38.4 million nets deployed between 2019 and 2022. Clinical trials and pilot studies conducted during this period demonstrated that the new ITNs improved malaria control by approximately 20-50% in countries facing insecticide resistance.

As a result, the World Health Organization (WHO) published new recommendations supporting the use of pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr nets and pyrethroid-pyriproxyfen nets instead of pyrethroid-only nets in countries with pyrethroid resistance.

Unitaid's Executive Director, Dr. Philippe Duneton, expressed satisfaction with the New Nets Project's contribution to malaria control efforts and emphasized the need for continued investment in innovative tools to address the challenges in the fight against malaria.

The Global Fund highlighted that the use of Interceptor G2 nets resulted in potential cost savings of $28.9 million to health systems. As the number of dual active ingredient ITNs increases, the financial savings and public health benefits are expected to grow, emphasizing the long-term impact of this investment.

Furthermore, operational pilots under the project provided guidelines for the effective incorporation of the new nets into multi-product campaigns and continuous distribution efforts.

The success of the New Nets Project demonstrated the collaborative efforts of global health partners, innovation in vector control, and market-shaping approaches to fight insecticide resistance, make interventions cost-effective, and accelerate progress against malaria, emphasized the Global Fund's Executive Director, Peter Sands.

The New Nets Project's market-shaping work ensured equitable and affordable access to the dual active ingredient nets, supported by partners such as MedAccess, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and IVCC.

These accomplishments have led to the belief that the use of state-of-the-art nets and the continuation of market interventions will contribute to the elimination of malaria. The RBM Partnership to End Malaria's CEO, Dr. Michael Charles, emphasized the importance of investing in a range of tools to combat the disease and highlighted the value of the dual-insecticide nets and their demonstrated impact and cost savings for health systems.

The Global Fund, along with Unitaid, invested $33 million each between 2018 and 2022 to introduce new insecticide-treated nets to fight malaria-carrying mosquitoes. The New Nets Project played a crucial role in building evidence and priming the market for the next generation of nets.

Through collaborations with international partners, research institutions, and affected countries, IVCC continues to develop and make available improved insecticides to combat insecticide resistance.

Unitaid's goal of making new health products available and affordable has saved millions of lives in low- and middle-income countries, including those affected by HIV, TB, and malaria. The Global Fund, united with various stakeholders, raises billions of dollars each year to fight infectious diseases and strengthen health systems worldwide.

The success of the New Nets Project is a testament to the impact of product development, market shaping, and collective efforts in the fight against malaria. The introduction of state-of-the-art mosquito nets has played a crucial role in reducing malaria cases and deaths, and the lessons learned will pave the way for further progress in the global malaria goals.