A major malaria prevention campaign was launched in Morobe Province last Friday, with about 92,000 long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) to be distributed to households in Markham and Tewae-Siassi districts.
The 2026 LLIN Distribution Programme was launched on October 2 at Zumim Village in the Mutzing Health Centre catchment area of Markham District.
The campaign is being implemented by Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM), under the guidance of the National Malaria Control Program and the National Department of Health, with support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The Global Fund is supporting LLIN distribution in 20 provinces and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, while the Sustainable Development Program (SDP) is supporting Western Province.
Launching the campaign, Secretary for Health Pascoe Kase said Papua New Guinea continues to record about one million malaria cases each year.
Mr Kase said the Global Fund had made a major contribution to the country’s malaria response, but Papua New Guinea would need to increase domestic investment as external funding declines.
“As external funding for malaria declines, we must progressively increase our own investment and strengthen the capacity of the health system, at the village, district and provincial level, to sustain malaria prevention and control,” Mr Kase said.
Global Fund Senior Fund Portfolio Manager for the Southeast Asia Team Sandra Irbe reaffirmed the organisation’s long-standing commitment to Papua New Guinea, noting that it has supported the country’s malaria prevention and control programmes since 2005.
Morobe Provincial Health Authority Director of Public Health Kelly Mesere said the success of the campaign would depend on households consistently using the nets.
“One of our continuing challenges is that some people do not regularly sleep under the LLINs provided to them,” Mr Mesere said.
He urged families to properly hang and care for the nets and ensure that everyone sleeps under them every night, particularly children, pregnant women and other vulnerable people.
RAM workers also conducted community awareness during the launch on the correct use and care of LLINs, including proper hanging and washing of nets.
The initial distribution will cover Markham and Tewae-Siassi districts, while the remaining districts of Morobe Province are planned to be covered in the next distribution cycle.
The campaign is part of Papua New Guinea’s broader efforts to reduce malaria transmission and progress towards malaria elimination.
Health authorities say sustained funding, stronger provincial ownership and consistent use of LLINs at household level will remain critical to reducing the country’s malaria burden.