Benin's government fighting malaria with free treatment, cadre of community health workers

Feb 13 2012

The Guardian's "Poverty Matters Blog" examines how the government of Benin "is making headway in attempts to reduce deaths from malaria" by cracking down on counterfeit treatments, offering malaria treatment free-of-charge in public clinics and hospitals, and creating "an army of ordinary citizens in the battle against preventable diseases like malaria." The article describes a UNICEF-supported program that trains and employs local residents as community health extension workers, who often serve as the front line in providing treatment for malaria or maternal and child health care (Smith, 2/10).