World Malaria Day | Fighting to Save 765,000 in Sub-Saharan Africa

By: Victor Ulasi, Nigerian Correspondent

NEW YORK, (Apr 23) – Annually, 850,000 die from a simple mosquito bite. Ninety percent of these deaths occur in children below the age of five in Sub-Saharan Africa, UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman announced.

World Malaria Day is not a celebration, it is an awareness day globally. There are only 250 days left to meet the challenge set by the UN Secretary-General for all endemic countries to achieve universal coverage with essential malaria control interventions. The target date to achieve this monumental feat is 31 December 2010. Veneman state, “The UN Secretary General’s goal is achievable and so far remarkable progress has been made, as there have been increase in coverage of insecticide-treated bed net (ITN) in African countries but more needs to be done to archive the 2010 goal.”

In addition, as the fight against malaria increases, other benefits are felt. Intervention also helps reduce the number of people who die from malnutrition, HIV, and AIDS. Above all, the reduction of malaria improves the health of pregnant women and babies. “What is needed at this point to fight malaria and save hundreds of lives is a due approach which is to increase the use of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies or ACTs to treat patients with the a better coverage of ITNS,” Veneman added.

In their fight to irradicate malaria, and with hopes of conquering this disease forever, Veneman called on governments, donors, international organizations, the private sector, civil society, faith based organizations, and world at large to unite together to ensure that no one dies from something as simple as a mosquito bite.

Numerous organizations including ChildFund and the Red Cross participate to raise awareness over this vicious killer.