Community action is key to reducing malaria in Tanzania
- T0
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
As World Malaria Day (25 April 2026) approaches, there is a renewed call to strengthen malaria education for communities across Tanzania, where the disease continues to have far-reaching health, social, and economic impacts.
More than 600,000 lives were lost to malaria in 2024, the majority among young children in Africa. According to the World Malaria Report 2025, Tanzania, along with Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, accounts for more than half of the global malaria death burden. Despite significant progress in prevention and treatment, malaria remains a persistent and daily reality for millions of Tanzanians.
Beyond its immediate health effects, malaria continues to disrupt livelihoods and education. Repeated infections prevent adults from working consistently, placing strain on household incomes, while children miss critical school days, impacting both attendance and long-term learning outcomes.
While tools such as insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor spraying, and effective medicines have saved countless lives, their effectiveness relies on consistent availability, proper use, and widespread adoption.
“Many people believe that using a bed net or taking treatment once will fully protect them from malaria,” says Justina Victus Mosha, a medical sociologist at the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) Mwanza Centre and stakeholder engagement officer at Transmission Zero. “The reality is that malaria transmission is complex, and protection requires a combination of approaches, used consistently and correctly.”
To support communities facing the recurring impact of malaria, Justina highlights several key factors that contribute to continued infections:
Mosquito exposure still happens. Bed nets primarily protect people while they sleep, but mosquitoes can bite earlier in the evening or outdoors before people go to bed.
Incorrect or inconsistent use of nets. Nets that are torn, not properly tucked in, or not used every night reduce protection significantly.
Incomplete treatment. Not finishing a full course of antimalarial medication can allow the parasite to remain in the body.
Reinfection is common. Malaria is not a one-time illness, people can be infected repeatedly if they are bitten again by an infected mosquito.
“Malaria is a community challenge,” says Justina. “Even if one household takes precautions, mosquitoes can still breed and spread disease across entire villages and neighbourhoods. Protecting yourself is essential, but protecting your community is equally important.”
Simple community-level actions can include:
Maintain shared spaces and infrastructure. Ensuring that communal water points, drainage systems, and public areas are well maintained helps prevent stagnant water from accumulating.
Promote consistent net use across households. Community leaders and health workers can encourage all households to use bed nets correctly every night, strengthening protection at a collective level.
Support local awareness and education efforts. Community meetings, school programmes, and local champions can help spread accurate information and address common misconceptions about malaria.
In her speech at the African Union Summit, Her Excellency and Tanzanian President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan recently emphasised the critical role of the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) in Tanzania's fight against malaria, focusing on local innovation, research, and scientific sovereignty. The Transmission Zero team at IHI, led by local scientists in Tanzania, is working to better understand community concerns and improve access to clear, accurate information about malaria.
“This World Malaria Day, by listening to community questions and addressing misconceptions, we aim to empower individuals to make informed decisions about prevention and treatment,” says Justina.
About Transmission Zero
Transmission Zero is an international research programme working to develop innovative genetic tools to help eliminate malaria in Africa. By genetically modifying mosquitoes to block the malaria parasite from being passed to humans, the programme aims to stop malaria transmission at its source. Led by Imperial College London in partnership with the Ifakara Health Institute, the National Institute for Medical Research (Tanzania), and Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Transmission Zero is committed to advancing African-led science that is safe, equitable, and designed in close collaboration with communities. The programme is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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