The First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Mrs. Sia Nyama Koroma on Thursday 16th February 2012, officially launched a new malaria campaign, known as “Where’s The Net Campaign”. The campaign, championed by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation (TBFF), an inter-faith foundation fighting to end malaria in Sierra Leone, in collaboration with the Faith Act Program on Health in Sierra Leone was launched at the Atlantic Hall, National Stadium, in Freetown.

Officially launching the campaign, Mrs. Sia Koroma said the Faith Act Programme on Health in Sierra Leone, is jointly supported by a strong partnership between faith leaders, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Inter-Religious Council, committed donors and Non-Governmental Organizations around the world. She said the TBFF is on the right path, in embarking on malaria sensitization campaign especially because malaria is one of the public health problems in Sierra Leone. She also condemned it as a leading cause of illness and death among children under five years.

Sierra Leone’s first lady Mrs. Sia Nyama Koroma.

The First Lady revealed that, to show Sierra Leone’s commitment to the Abuja Declaration of 2000, which Sierra Leone is signatory to, Government has established the National Malaria Control Plan, which she said is responsible for the coordination, supervision and monitoring of all malaria prevention and control activities in Sierra Leone.

She said the Ministry of Health and Sanitation has also developed a National Malaria Strategic Plan for 2010 to 2015. Mrs. Koroma further maintained that, sleeping under insecticides treated bed nets has proven to reduce malaria illness by 50% in the country.

She said the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, together with the Roll Back Malaria partners, in November 2010, distributed over three million long lasting insecticides nets to every household in Sierra Leone. According to Mrs. Koroma, two hundred and thirty-four Faith Ambassadors have also been trained in Sierra Leone to champion the dissemination of malaria messages across the country.

However, Mrs. Sia Koroma expressed gratitude to the work of TBFF in Sierra Leone, whilst promising her Office’s support in the fight against malaria.