Social marketing of the insecticide-treated bednets: the case for Pakistan

Abstract

With an estimated half a million cases of malaria annually in Pakistan, and drug resistant cases on the increase, more practical preventive measures such as insecticide- treated bednets are essential. Social marketing through commercial channels has become an important cost- effective means to deliver health products and services to low income people and to motivate them to use these services. It has been demonstrated that social marketing of insecticide- treated bednets has saved the lives of millions of people in malaria- endemic regions at a cost as low as US$ 2 per person. Social marketing could be an effective strategy for getting insecticide- treated nets to poor communities in Pakistan who are most vulnerable to malaria