Successful Malaria Control Project in Uganda to Continue

BETHESDA, Md., July 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Abt Associates has been awarded a $64 million, five-year contract from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to implement a major malaria prevention program in Uganda.

The Uganda Indoor Residual Spraying Project – Phase II will build on the success of the initial Uganda Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) project, in which Abt has succeeded in treating 95% of targeted households while reducing the program's annual operating costs by $2.4 million. The new phase will focus on building local capacity to transition IRS activities to public and private sector counterparts in Uganda. Uganda has one of the highest rates of malaria in the world, killing approximately 80,000 people each year and contributing to $200 million annually in lost productivity.

IRS is a highly effective malaria prevention method that involves the coordinated, timely spraying of the interior walls of homes with insecticides. Since 2009, approximately 2.8 million people, including more than 100,000 pregnant women and half a million children under age five, have been protected from malaria in Northern Uganda as a result of USAID's and the President's Malaria Initiative's (PMI) Uganda IRS project.

"Abt Associates is proud to continue these life-saving malaria prevention and control efforts that positively impact the lives of millions of people," said Dr. Diana Silimperi, division vice president for International Health. "This project will strengthen the Ministry of Health's capacity to build a sustainable IRS program."

Abt Associates has extensive experience in IRS, working in 15 countries throughout Africa to conduct spray operations.

Dr. John Bosco Rwakimari will continue to serve as the project's Chief of Party. Partners on the Phase II project include Communication for Development Foundation Uganda (CDFU) and EnCompass, LLC.

About Abt Associates

Abt Associates is a mission-driven, global leader in research and program implementation in the fields of health, social and environmental policy, and international development. Known for its rigorous approach to solving complex challenges, Abt Associates was ranked as one of the top 20 global research firms in 2011 and also named one of the top 40 international development innovators. The company has multiple offices in the U.S. and program offices in nearly 40 countries. www.abtassociates.com

SOURCE Abt Associates

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