Approach · Malaria, Saving lives
Bed nets against malaria
Long-lasting insecticide-treated nets that protect families from malaria-carrying mosquitoes while they sleep.
How strong is the evidence?
Exceptionally strong
Strength of evidence, as rated by GiveWell
GiveWell rates evidence of impact for mass ITN distribution as exceptionally strong; many high-quality studies consistently find strong impact.
What evaluators are unsure about
- Duration of protection from bed nets and insecticide resistance in GiveWell-funded locations.
- Uncertainty about AMF post-distribution monitoring correspondence and net durability vs independent literature.
- Limited published data on other funders’ non-net costs for AMF-supported campaigns.
Published figures for charities doing this
| Charity | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Against Malaria FoundationCost per life saved | $5,500 per life saved2022–2024 average | GiveWell (opens in a new tab) |
| Against Malaria FoundationCost per bed net | $6 per bed net2022–2024 average | GiveWell (opens in a new tab) |
Modeled, not guaranteed. Figures in different units measure different kinds of good and should not be compared directly.
Charities doing this work
Against Malaria Foundation
Buys long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets and works with local partners to hand them out in places where malaria is common, then checks the nets are still in use.
$5,500 per life saved
GiveWell, 2022–2024 average
GiveWell Top Charities Fund
Pools donations and grants them to GiveWell's Top Charities wherever GiveWell judges the money is needed most.
Not yet rated
No published figure we can quote
Sources
Questions donors ask
- Does bed nets against malaria work?
GiveWell rates the evidence as exceptionally strong. See the sources on this page for the full reasoning.
- How cost-effective is it?
It depends on the charity and the setting. The table on this page lists each published figure with its source. All are modeled, not guaranteed.