MALARIA GOOD WILL AMBASSADORS KICK OFF WORLD MALARIA DAY ACTIVITIES WITH THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS IN AN INNOVATIVE COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN: ‘NIGHTWATCH’

The Ministry of Health announced today the launch of a new malaria communications program called NightWatch, which is an interactive media campaign that will use radio and television spots to remind people to sleep under their mosquito net to protect themselves and their families from malaria.

ExxonMobil is lending their private sector support to help ensure that every family knows what they can do to help their communities fight malaria. The TV and Radio nightly reminders will be a key part of the national communications initiative endorsed by The Government of Tanzania.

Political will and impressive malaria control interventions during the past 3 years in Tanzania have been impressive with a recent Universal Coverage Campaign distributing 18.6 million insecticide treated mosquito nets across the country. NightWatch is a complimenting media communications initiative that will encourage and maintain the momentum of people using the nets every night to protect themselves and others from the preventable and treatable disease.

Tanzanian artists are taking to the airwaves to deliver an important nightly message about malaria. Since the mosquito that transmits malaria primarily bites at night, the messages will air around 9PM using recognizable voices, including Malaria Good Will Ambassador Professor Jay, Diamond, Barnabas, Fid Q, Linah, Mwasiti and Bi Kidude as well as international celebrities Shaggy and Ludacris.

The messages will start to be broadcast on TBC on April 25th 2012, the eve of World Malaria Day.

“Using something as simple and widespread as radio to reach Tanzanian families will act as a reminder that nets save lives, “ says Good Will Ambassador Fid Q. “Across my country, mothers and fathers are committed to keeping their families safe from malaria and I have seen first hand Tanzanian children hanging up their nets as part of their nightly routine.”

In conjunction with the Night Watch mass communications campaign, The Zinduka Theatre in Education program continues to roll out across the country thanks to the support of corporate sponsors including African Barrick Gold and PIKE-an energy solutions company. Since the launch of the campaign in early 2010, 136,000 young people have been exposed and engaged to ongoing community sensitization activities as they learn about prevention and treatment before becoming community change agents within their local schools and wider community.

The establishment of Zinduka Clubs in Morogoro, Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Mwanza and now the Lake Zone and The Dodoma region are participating in monthly activations in schools, clinics conducting household visits and community events and have exposed an impressive 800,000 community members to date.

Good Will Ambassador Mwasiti says “The campaign inspires young people to take action and prevent themselves and others from contracting malaria in their own community. If they do get malaria, they are now educated and empowered to make decisions quickly and effectively. The campaign is creating a movement around the country and I hope that the Night Watch program will compliment the activities that the youth are doing at the local level”. For more information and photographs of the community and mass media communication programs in action, visit Zinduka malaria haikubaliki face book page.