Switzerland extends grand to help Tanzania fight malaria

The Swiss has given a grant to the government of Tanzania to their fight against malaria. Switzerland gave 2.7 billion dollars to help bring more treated nets to the people. The announcement was recorded by the Tanzanian newspaper The Daily News.

Switzerland has extended a grant of 2.7bn/-to Tanzania for scaling up the use of insecticide treated nets in the region, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Mr Ramadhani Khijja, has said.

Mr Khijja said during a signing ceremony held in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the grant would help reduce the number of deaths from malaria, particularly among children and pregnant women. He said the grant would also go a long way to supporting efforts by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to better coordinate the Tanzania National Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) Programme.

"The agreement shows Switzerland's commitment to support Tanzanian government in its aim of improving the health and well-being of all Tanzanians especially those in rural areas, the poor and vulnerable," he said. The Swiss Ambassador, Mr Adrian Schlaepher, said the funding was aimed not only at sustaining but also strengthening the National Malaria Control Porgramme as a viable institution.