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On World Day, UNICEF Issues Call to Curb Malaria

The United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF ) is marking World Malaria Day today by calling for accelerated efforts to tackle the disease, which kills more than one million people - mostly children - every year.

"Malaria is a curable and preventable disease that can be controlled by increasing the use of mosquito nets and other proven interventions, as part of integrated, community-based programmes," said the agency's Executive Director Ann M. Veneman.

It is a "disease without borders" - the theme of this year's Day - and is endemic in more than 100 countries and territories.

Resources to tackle the scourge have increased significantly in recent years as a result of the efforts of the UN-backed Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; the United States President's Malaria Initiative; the World Bank; UNICEF; and others.

Most African nations have switched over to the more effective Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) - recommended by the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO) - to treat malaria.

ACT production has surged from 4 million treatment doses in 2004 to over 100 million in 2006.

Ms. Veneman noted that 18 million long-lasting insecticidal nets protecting against malaria have been distributed in Ethiopia since 2005, while 10 million have been delivered in Kenya over the past five years. "These successes show what can be achieved with concerted action," she said.

"But with an estimated 800,000 African children still dying from malaria every year, it is clear that much remains to be done."

One decade after UNICEF, the WHO and their partners launched the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) initiative, malaria - claiming the lives of some 3,000 children daily - is still the single largest killer of Africa children.

To control the disease globally, it will cost approximately $3.2 billion, and through increased public and private commitments and partnerships, RBM has raised $1 billion to date.

UNICEF appealed for bolstered interventions - including sustained financing, community involvement and leadership as well as enhanced global, regional and national partnerships - to control the disease.

Yesterday, the agency announced a partnership with religious, business and sports leaders to supply insecticide-treated bed nets for Africa.

"Nothing But Nets," a grassroots campaign created in 2006 by the UN Foundation (UNF) to raise awareness about malaria, helps fund the distribution of life-saving bed nets.

It "is an important initiative that will help build on successes in addressing malaria and accelerate results for children," Ms. Veneman said at a news conference at UN Headquarters. "Our results will be measured in lives saved and in lives improved."

Source: United Nations

judythpiazza@newsblaze.com