Pasted below is the text of a press release about the 2009 World Malaria Report.

WHO World Malaria Report Shows Aid Efforts Are Working

Key interventions results mortality reductions, disease prevalence; more funding needed for continued success

WASHINGTON, DC – Considerable progress has been in fighting malaria over the past several years, according to the World Health Organization’s World Malaria Report 2009 released earlier this week. The report, which was gathered from data across malaria programs in 108 countries, shows that more than a third of the effected countries surveyed witnessed reductions in malaria cases by more than 50 percent between 2000 and 2008.

These improvements are attributed to a vast increase in international funding for malaria between 2006 and 2009, which more than doubled from $730 million to $1.7 billion. However, malaria advocates in Washington cautioned that unless funding increases, programs will fall well short of reaching 2010 targets for universal coverage with insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and 2015’s United Nations Millennium Development Goals. According to the Global Malaria Action Plan, $6.2 billion is needed in 2010 to fully fund the package of malaria interventions to meet the Roll Back Malaria goal of saving the lives of mothers and children.

“Malaria is one of the best investments we have in global health,” said Rear Admiral Tim Ziemer, the U.S. Malaria Coordinator. “We must build on successes we have seen in places like Rwanda, Zambia and Zanzibar, where effective partnership and proven tools like insecticide-treated mosquito nets, spraying of homes with safe, effective insecticides and malaria diagnosis and treatment worked together to dramatically reduce deaths and illness. And as we continue to make progress in the fight against malaria, we make important gains toward meeting the Millennium Development Goals related to poverty reduction, child survival, maternal health and reducing malaria deaths.”

Bolstered by the new data from WHO, malaria advocates in the U.S. have requested $924 million for bilateral malaria funding; $200 million for research, development and technical assistance; and $1.75 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for FY11. Advocates also applauded the ongoing commitment of the Administration and Congress to expand malaria programming, demonstrated by the recent House and Senate vote to approve $585 million for bi-lateral assistance for malaria and an additional 1.05 billion dollars for the Global Fund.

The United States remains a global leader in the fight against malaria. In a single year, the President’s Malaria Initiative reached 32 million people with lifesaving prevention or treatment services, while direct funding from the U.S. has helped the Global Fund distribute 88 million bed nets to protect families and provide treatment to 74 million individuals.

Tags: who, World Malaria Report

Tags: who, World Malaria Report
Categories:Domestic Political Action, Health & Science