Proportion of households possessing one or more effective insecticide-treated mosquito nets

Insecticide-treated nets are nets for hanging over sleeping places, treated with an insecticide that repels, disables and kills mosquitoes coming into contact with them. They may be of ordinary netting that is periodically retreated with insecticide, or they may be long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLIN's), with the insecticide within or bound around the fibres of the netting. Conventionally treated nets are effective if they have been retreated correctly within the last six months (or the last year the case of some chemicals), not washed more than three times since the last treatment and without holes or tears. LLIN's are effective if they are not older, and have not been washed more often, than recommended by the manufacturer (commonly no more than 20 washes and no more than 3 years old) and are without large holes or tears. Nets should be of a size and shape that allows them to be hung over the bedding used.

Unit Description

Percentage

Numerator

Nb of household possessing one or more effective insecticide-treated mosquito nets

Denominator

Total nb of households in the sample

Disaggregation

N/A

Types

Baseline

Output

Threshold / Standard

Follow-up of trends. Target: 100%

General guidance

In malarial areas, people are able to protect themselves from malaria if they possess one or more effective nets for sleeping under. The most vulnerable people in the household are likely to be pregnant women and under-five children anybody whose immunity to malaria is suppressed by infectious disease or malnutrition. There should be sufficient net available to protect these vulnerable people as a minimum. WHO recommends full coverage for all people at risk of malaria where insecticide-treated nets are used for malaria prevention. Nets that are unused, including any that are in unopened packages, should be included. This indicator measures possession of nets, not use. Surveyors may wish to learn why nets are not used, in order to inform hygiene-promotion activities.

Guidance for pre-crisis/baseline

N/A

Data Sources

Focus group discussion

Comments

N/A