Water Resources Integrated Management Program

Counterpart International (Counterpart) partners with Child Fund International and Catholic Relief Services in a 2-year World Bank-  funded program to reduce mortality   and morbidity related to malaria, soil-transmitted helminthiasis - worm infestation that causes illness and sometimes death - and bilharzias -       a disease that can damage internal organs and, in children, impair growth and cognitive development. The program is being implemented in Matam, Saint Louis and Louga regions. These areas have a population of nearly 2.5 million, of which 482,000 are children under 5; 1.1 million children 6-15 months; and almost 90,000 pregnant women.

Counterpart's goal is to see 60 percent of children under 5 years of age use insecticide-treated bed nets as the best way to reduce the prevalence of helminthiasis and bilharzias. In order to reach that goal, Counterpart distributes insecticide-treated bed nets, de-worming medicines and flatworm treatment. 

Recent Highlights: 

• Counterpart conducted a mass insecticide treated net campaign distributing almost 190,000 nets reaching 88.5 percent of targeted children. Currently, the local government partners are in the process of finalizing the training curriculum for the disease prevention training of community health workers and their trainers.

Photo: © Counterpart International.