Mothers' Union Calls On World Governments
To Give More Money In The Fight Against Malaria

International Governments need to take more action in the fight against Malaria, says the Mothers' Union (MU).

April 25th is Africa Malaria Day, marking the fourth anniversary of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) summit in Abuja, Nigeria to galvanize political will to fight malaria. With a year left to reach the 2005 targets set there, the outlook is stark. Resistance to anti-malarial drugs is widespread, and less than 2% of African children are sleeping under life-saving mosquito nets, which many African countries still tax. Nets cost $2 but millions live on a few cents a day so cannot afford them.

Much attention over the years has been focused on HIV/AIDS, and properly so, but malaria is just as desperate a cause.

Clare Berry, Head of Marketing at the MU, says "Malaria is no less dangerous a threat to the health of millions of families around the world, than HIV/AIDS, especially in Africa. The statistics are shocking. Over 500 million people are infected with malaria every year, resulting in more than a million people dying. Women and Children in particular are suffering." The Mothers' Union is involved in work to counteract the spread of malaria - particularly education of women and families through its Literacy and Development programme, which is in Sudan, Malawi and Burundi.

Vicky Paul, Head of Action and Outreach at the MU, says "To urge greater political will to reach the Abuja targets by next year we are calling for African Heads of State to commend progress and urge action where due. Many African countries still tax mosquito nets. Secondly, the World Bank, a founding partner of RBM, needs to free up more of the $500 million it promised to RBM at the Abuja summit."

There is also a need for the UK Department for International Development, United States Agency for International Development and Canadian International Development Agency to give Artemisinin-based anti-malaria drugs more weight on their agendas, and to find more money for controlling malaria in Africa.

Our work in Africa has shown us that education and anti-malarial resources such as mosquito nets, are really needed by people who are being infected. Lives can easily be saved if we can give out this most basic of equipment - something we would take on holiday - if only people were aware of how many people still die of malaria. I think many people don't realise how prevalent malaria still is and how prophylactics don't actually prevent infection."

The Mothers' Union in Kumi (Uganda) provides mosquito nets for displaced people from Relief grants, sent by the MU in London. Pictures are available.