Free distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets can save lives

Malaria is still responsible for over a million deaths every year, even though it has been known for some years that sleeping under an insecticide-treated net (ITN) greatly reduces the chance of being bitten by the mosquitoes which carry the disease. There have been heated arguments as to how best to increase the use of such nets, particularly for children and pregnant women. Now research in Kenya, published in the latest issue of PLoS Medicine, has shown that a free mass distribution programme has raised the rate of ITN use to an impressive 66%. Further good news from this research is that this high rate is more or less the same whatever the family income level.