Factors influencing the receipt and uptake of insecticide treated nets by pregnant mothers under the national discount voucher scheme, Kibaha district

Abstract

The Ministry of Health, Tanzania through the National Malaria Control Programme introduced the discount vouchers scheme for ITNs purchased by pregnant mothers so as to improve coverage of ITNs use in pregnancy. This study examined the factors that might influence receipt and up take of ITNs by pregnant mothers under the discount voucher scheme so as to identify actual or potential barriers to the implementation of the scheme.

A total of 425 pregnant mothers, the DMO, 8 RCH staff and 6 net sellers participated in the study. More than two thirds (69.6%) of the mothers recognized malaria as a common health problem in pregnancy. Awareness of mosquitoes as malaria vectors was very high as was shown by over three quarters, of the mothers reporting using nets for malaria prevention. ITNs were perceived by the absolute majority of the mothers to have the ability to repel or kill mosquitoes, with three quarters of the mothers believing that the insecticide used is safe. Willingness to pay was also very high as around two thirds of the mothers indicated that they would pay top up money the soonest. There were no barriers on issuance and receipt of vouchers as the majority (82.5%) of mothers on subsequent antenatal visits had received their vouchers, three quarters of whom had already bought nets. Operationalization of the scheme from views of the DMO and RCH staff seems to face actual or potential barriers in implementation in terms of storage, issuance and safety