World Malaria Day: preventable and treatable disease still a child killer
NEW YORK (April 25, 2011) – An estimated 800,000 people die every year from malaria. It is the third single biggest killer of children globally, with approximately 90 percent of these deaths occurring in Africa, where malaria accounts for about one in six child deaths.
"This World Malaria Day—and every day—around 2,000 children will die from a mosquito bite," said Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director. "We have effective measures to combat this deadly disease, and we must use them to save lives."
Malaria is both preventable and curable. Studies have shown that when a community's children sleep every night under insecticide-treated nets, overall child mortality can be reduced by up to 20 percent.
Yet hundreds of thousands of children, primarily in Africa, will perish this year because they lack access to insecticide-treated nets and to life-saving treatment within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. Waiting even six hours for treatment can mean life or death for a sick child.
Between 2004 and 2010, more than 400 million nets were delivered to malaria-endemic countries, with 290 million delivered since 2008 alone. These 290 million nets are enough to cover approximately 80 percent of the need for nets across Africa.
These efforts have led to real progress. Global malaria deaths dropped by 20 percent between 2000 and 2009, which represent many thousands of individual children's lives saved.
Countries that have systematically scaled up malaria prevention are showing significant reductions in the malaria burden at health facilities. Endemic settings such as Eritrea, Madagascar, São Tomé and Principe, Zambia and Zanzibar have shown reductions of more than 50 percent in either confirmed malaria cases or malaria admissions and deaths.
Fighting malaria not only saves children's lives, but also yields many other health and economic benefits. For example, eliminating malaria eases the burden on over-stretched health centers. Reducing malaria improves the health of pregnant mothers and therefore the health of their babies. Controlling malaria can also reduce deaths due to malnutrition, as those already weakened are more likely to die if they contract the disease.
"We cannot leave some children exposed to malaria and other children safe," said Lake. "Whether it is insecticide-treated nets, proper diagnosis, or effective treatment, the challenge is to provide protection and care to every single child who is at risk."
About UNICEF
UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. Working in more than 150 countries, UNICEF provides children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States.
UNICEF is at the forefront of efforts to reduce child mortality worldwide. There has been substantial progress: the annual number of under-five deaths dropped from 13 million in 1990 to 8.8 million in 2008. But still, 22,000 children die each day from preventable causes. Our mission is to do whatever it takes to make that number zero by giving children the essentials for a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.
For additional information, please contact:
Susannah Masur, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 212.880.9146, smasur@unicefusa.org
Kiní Schoop, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 212.922.2634, kschoop@unicefusa.org
