Building Long Lasting Insecticidal Net Production Capacity in Tanzania

Nile Fortune

First Manufacturer in Africa to Produce One Million Nets per Year


With technical support from USAID/EA, Sunflag Ltd IN Tanzania, has become the first manufacturer in Africa to install the capacity to produce polyester long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs). In response to the urging of the Government of Tanzania and the Roll Back Malaria movement to increase the production of LLINs in Tanzania, Sunflag made the decision to convert its polyester net production into LLINs. In June 2007, Sunflag imported 4 industrial washers, dryers, and chemical feed systems from India at its own expense and installed them in its mosquito net factory in Arusha. Supported by USAID/EA, NetMark textile engineers from Anovotek LLC then went to Arusha in July to help Sunflag staff integrate the washers and chemical feed systems, optimize the process of treating nets with the LLIN formulation, and train Sunflag staff in all aspects of operations, maintenance, and environmental safety.



While Tanzania remains the only African country manufacturing LLINs, companies in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria are in various stages of adopting the NetMark LLIN process. MossNet Kenya is awaiting final approval from the International Finance Corporation for a loan to purchase machines to produce one million nets/year to start. NetMark helped the Ethiopian government conduct a feasibility study on LLIN production with the participation of two companies—with one of them ready to install an LLIN capacity. USAID/EA funds will be used for the technical assistance required to help Ethiopia and Kenya develop an LLIN production capacity and to finalize the setup at Sunflag/Tanzania.

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