POST 00784E : MEASLES CAMPAIGN AND ITN DISTRIBUTION

POST 00784E : MEASLES CAMPAIGN AND ITN DISTRIBUTION Follow-up on Posts 00763E, 00765E, 00767E, 00768E, 00771E, 00774E, 00778E and 00781E 1 May 2005 _____________________________________ Two further contributions to this discussion. The first is a second contribution by Gerhard Hesse (mailto:[email protected]) from France. The second is from Thomas Teuscher (mailto:[email protected]) from the RBM Secretariat. _____________________________________ Dear All, Following this discussion for only a short time, but having attended the Measles Partnership Meeting in Washington and being in discussion with some country projects for mass re-treatments of existing nets, allow me some comments from the "malaria" private sector point of view: One of the points for the private sector to become interested in a new emerging market is the aspect to achieve a sustainable market in the near future, there is no difference for the health "market" than for others. A second important aspect is the time for Return on the Investments (ROI) made either to develop a new product, a new concept, to promote the product, to hire new people etc.There is one opinion in the general discussion saying that massive free distribution of nets does not creating a sustainable market for ITNs, and is therefore not in the interest of the private sector. On the other hand people like Larry Cassazza told me that in some countries / districts it stimulated the local market heading than towards sustainability. So here obviously the local aspect and the scope have to be taken into consideration and one project does not look like the other one. So massive free distribution can be in favor for the private sector as I will elaborate later on. For me an important point (which I never heard from someone else) is, that once people have experienced a beneficial product like an ITN (lesser bites, silent nights, and yes - lesser "Fever") they tend to continue using it. Having achieved the coverage of the