Roll Back Malaria is a global coordinating body for fighting malaria. It comprises local and international groups and private and public sectors. Their Global Malaria Action Plan was developed to foster goals, strategy, and activities among its global partners, including endemic countries. You can check out their action plan here.
There are 109 countries were endemic for malaria in 2008, 45 within the World Health Organization African region. Here is a comprehensive report on malaria, in English and French, including profile of the thirty high burdened countries.
From UK Coalition Against Malaria --G8 leaders have pledged to tackled malaria. They agreed to provide 100 million insecticide-treated nets by the end of 2010, plus the recruitment and training of 1.4 million health workers who are vital in the fight against malaria.
“ EAAM also urges that G8 efforts not only focus on malaria prevention, for example, with insecticide treated nets, but also tackles issues of expanding access to treatment to stop the needless deaths of up to three million people and children each year. ”
Every day 3000 children perish from malaria. Malaria is preventable. Malaria is curable. On World Malaria Day 2008, the partners of the Rollback Malaria initiatives will join together to spread awareness on the disease without borders.
From National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases --
In Malawi the rise in temperatures that coincide with the rainy season increases the risk of malaria disease. The most severe type, cerebral malaria, has symptoms similar to yellow fever and encephalitis. This commonality can result in misdiagnosis and less effective treatment. The use of an eye exam has resulted in four findings that allow doctors to assess the severity of the disease and more effectively treat it.
From The Acumen Fund -- It was a huge gamble to began producing low-cost pharmaceutical-grade artemisinin, an essential ingredient in the new generation of effective malaria cures. The facility is in East Africa.
From MSF --
Eventhough new tools and strategies provide more efficient prevention and care approaches to fight this public health problem the reality is very few people in endemic countries receive the care they need. MSF shares their experience in increasing access to quality malaria treatment in sub-Saharan Africa. MSF’s experience in several African countries shows that a steep increase in the number of people treated is possible without compromising the quality of care.
Oh DO correct me if I've been misled. Did our President try to slip in a bill that would have required American Veterans to be responsible for their own healthcare costs... from injuries incurred from being sent to war to protect us!?! From what I heard the whole notion was quickly beaten down on the hill. Apparently it would have saved the VA $500 million in healthcare costs. The whole notion of "cost cutting"... More >>
From CommonDreams.org -- In September 2006 the World Health Organization shifted its position to urging the use of the pesticide DDT to control the spread of malaria. The director of the WHO's Global Malaria Department stated "One of the best tools we have against malaria is indoor residual house spraying. Of the dozen insecticides WHO has approved as safe for house spraying, the most effective is DDT." Many health and public-interest groups have expressed disagreement and concern with this statement. DDT is one of 12 chemicals to be phased out globally under the Stockholm Convention.
“ Developed during World War II, DDT, the abbreviation for dicholoro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, was hailed as a "miracle" for its effectiveness in combating malaria, typhus, and other insect-born diseases. In 1955, WHO launched a worldwide programme to eradicate the disease, primarily through the use of the pesticide. ”
From World Health Organization --Every thirty seconds a child dies from malaria. Check out this fact file put together by the World Health Organization on how we can prevent and control malaria.
“ Malaria is especially a serious problem in Africa, where one in every five (20%) childhood deaths is due to the effects of the disease. An African child has on average between 1.6 and 5.4 episodes of malaria fever each year. And every 30 seconds a child dies from malaria. ”
From Light Mediation --
The photo essay documents the effects of malaria including its target's living conditions, research, treatment, and education.
