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SCJ Supports Families in Rwanda with Greater Access to Health Care, Mosquito Disease Prevention

Here is a shocking statistic: In 2017, there were 219 million cases of malaria in 87 countries, and 435,000 people died from it. Malaria kills a child under the age of five every two minutes. As a family company and parents ourselves, we just cannot live with that.

That is why we work every day to help families protect themselves from mosquitoes that can carry diseases like malaria. We opened our first insect research centre back in 1957. Today, the SC Johnson Institute of Insect Science for Family Health is one of the largest private, urban entomology research centres in the world.

But reducing malaria and other diseases is not just about the root cause. It is also about access to health care for treatment when needed. That is why in 2018, SC Johnson began a new partnership with the Rwanda Ministry of Health and the Society for Family Health to increase health care access.

Together, we're providing 50 health posts across Rwanda to help address malaria and other public health issues. We started by supporting 10 health posts in 2018 and announced plans to build 40 more in 2019. This expands access to health care and malaria education for more than 200,000 people.

Access to malaria education is vital and access to health care overall is transformative. We are thrilled SC Johnson can help as we continue our work to fight mosquito-borne diseases and provide more families with access to a better life.
Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson

Co-Developing a Strategy for Public Health and Malaria Prevention

With our partners, SC Johnson is co-developing a national strategy to address public health issues in Rwanda, including malaria, HIV/AIDS, family planning, access to clean water and nutrition.

Key to this plan are the new health posts. Previously, those in rural Rwanda might have to walk up to three hours to reach health care support. Imagine what a challenge that is when you are already feeling ill.

Now, many more people have a health post within a closer distance. They are managed by the Rwandan Ministry of Health and the Society for Family Health Rwanda, with collaboration from SC Johnson.

Announcing the first post, Dr. Diane Gashumba, Rwanda Minister of Health, explained, “The ten health posts will help us to bring much-needed health care closer to the most vulnerable communities. This will help to improve family health overall and immediately address health care challenges, like malaria, across the country."

An educational session in rural Rwanda.
SC Johnson sponsored Health Post in Rwanda
An SC Johnson-sponsored health post in Rwanda.

Philanthropy and Partnership Increase Access to Disease Prevention
To tackle malaria specifically, this partnership also includes developing country-wide national standards to address mosquito-borne diseases and set safety and efficacy standards for pest products. Studies have shown that spatial repellents can reduce the frequency of biting and may reduce new malaria occurrences.

The intent is to increase access to and proper use of spatial and personal insect repellents, and encourage positive behaviour changes that help reduce the potential risk of mosquito-borne disease. This is an ongoing goal for SC Johnson, which the company also tackles through its educational mosquito website with tips in 14 languages.

As our Chairman and CEO, Fisk Johnson, explained when announcing the addition of 40 health posts in 2019, “We are continually working to get people educational information and products that may help protect them from mosquito-borne illness. Beyond helping local families, this partnership with the Rwanda Ministry of Health and the Society for Family Health Rwanda is providing insights and best practices that will help our efforts to fight malaria in other countries around the world.”

Learn about other initiatives SC Johnson has supported to help families gain access to pest control products and education here and here.

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