The potential health and economic impact of widely used insecticide treated mosquito nets (ITNs) throughout sub-Saharan Africa is enormous. If properly used by vulnerable populations, ITNs could cut the health impact of malaria in half. 7000 people, primarily children and pregnant women, die every day in Africa from malaria, the equivalent of 16 fully loaded jumbo jets going down every day with no survivors. According to a study by the Harvard University Center for International Development and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, malaria cut 1 percentage point a year from the annual growth rates of 27 African economies from 1965 to 1990.

In countries where it operates, NetMark conducts activities that influence many facets of the ITN market environment.

Along with increasing sales of ITNs across all sectors of society, NetMark stimulates ITN demand, establishes distribution networks, improves manufacturing and assists in introducing new technologies.

This “full-market impact” leads to increased availability, affordability, appropriate use and demand for high-quality ITNs throughout Africa. The impact of NetMark activities is felt beyond NetMark’s immediate project partners, increasing sales and use of ITNs across the board.

NetMark’s full impact on the ITN market encompasses six areas:

1. Supply—NetMark is increasing the supply of ITNs by improving the coordination of commercial and institutional procurements, providing technical and financial support to expand manufacturing capacity and quality, and creating strong links between manufacturers and the best distributors in Africa. Increasing the supply of ITNs is necessary to meet the rapid increase in demand for ITNs (particularly LLINs) among consumers and institutional buyers.

2. Demand—NetMark builds demand for ITNs through marketing campaigns based on extensive behavioral research. This effort is amplified by joint investment with African distributors and ITN suppliers who market their own brands. As demand grows within a competitive market, consumers should benefit from improved quality, lower prices and wider availability.

3. Distribution—NetMark is working with suppliers and distributors to ensure the uninterrupted distribution of ITNs at a national scale through improved stock management, joint investment to expand the number of outlets carrying ITNs, partnerships with grassroots organizations for community level distribution, and mobile promotional teams.

4. Improved Technologies—NetMark is working closely with world-class consultants from Anovotek, insecticide companies and net manufacturers to bring the most promising LLIN technologies from the laboratory to Africa as quickly as possible. NetMark will continue to support the transfer of technology for LLIN production so that LLINs are available to individuals and institutional buyers at the lowest possible cost.

5. Equity—AED believes that economics should never be a barrier to ITN use in Africa. NetMark works with commercial and public sector partners to ensure there is equal demand and access to ITNs across all socioeconomic groups. NetMark uses targeted subsidies to provide discounted or free ITNs to the most vulnerable populations via the commercial sector. In countries with high and equitable net coverage (e.g., Mali), NetMark works with partners to promote the retreatment of those nets.

6. Sustainability—NetMark is developing a “market” culture to replace what is now a “trader” culture, where suppliers and distributors simply sell what they can when they can. In this regard, NetMark has facilitated the growth of strong, lasting partnerships between suppliers and their distributors.