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World Vision has launched a major initiative to reduce the illness and death caused by malaria.



A top killer of children

Malaria is one of the leading causes of death for children under 5 in the developing world, resulting in approximately 800,000 child deaths per year. Hitting Africa the hardest, malaria kills more than 1 million people each year — approximately 80 percent of whom are children (1) — and infects between 350 million and 500 million individuals. (2)

Pregnant mothers and babies are particularly vulnerable. Every year, malaria is responsible for as many as 10,000 maternal deaths (3) and results in maternal anemia, spontaneous abortions, neonatal deaths, and low birth-weight babies.

Preventable, treatable

Malaria is both preventable and treatable. Yet many die because prevention and treatment tools are not readily available to the people who need them most.


Simple solutions such as sleeping under a treated bed net, spraying insecticide inside homes, and using the right anti-malarial drugs dramatically reduce the impact of malaria. Not only that, studies have shown these solutions protect against other health risks for children under 5. For instance, in sub-Saharan Africa, the use of insecticide-treated bed nets could potentially prevent 1 million child deaths. (4)

A disease of poverty

Malaria afflicts primarily the poorest populations who tend to live in malaria-prone areas. And lack of nutrition makes children and adults even more vulnerable. According to the World Food Programme, 57 percent of malaria deaths are attributable to under-nutrition. (5)

The disease seriously impacts Africa’s economy, slowing economic growth and development and perpetuating the cycle of poverty. For the hundreds of millions of people around the world living on less than $2 per day, life-saving interventions remain unaffordable and inaccessible.

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Malaria and AIDS

In 2007, malaria and AIDS together took more than 3 million lives. And there is increasing evidence that where they occur together, malaria and HIV (PDF) infections interact. Malaria worsens HIV by:
  • Increasing the amount of virus present in the bloodstream in adults and pregnant women;
  • Possibly accelerating progression toward AIDS;
  • Potentially increasing the risk of HIV transmission between adults and between a mother and her child.
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World Vision's initiative to end malaria

In June 2008, World Vision launched a major five-year initiative to reduce the illness and death caused by malaria. World Vision aims to contribute to a 75 percent reduction in malaria cases, with the end goal of nearly zero preventable malaria deaths by 2015. This will be achieved by:
  • Extensively distributing long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets;
  • Advocating that the U.S. government increased funding for malaria to at least $1 billion per year;
  • Developing corporate partnerships to leverage resources like bed nets and medication;
  • Increasing World Vision's private income for malaria to $50 million per year by 2012;
  • Strengthening and expanding a public movement in the United States to eradicate malaria.
This initiative will allow us to expand and enhance our existing anti-malaria programs. World Vision works in 64 malaria-endemic countries, 24 of which are in sub-Saharan Africa, and we are experienced in providing malaria prevention and treatment solutions in local communities.

Children threatened by malaria
Thanks to concerted efforts by the U.S. government, malaria was eliminated from this country in 1951. Now it’s time for the rest of the world.

 To strategically address this threat, we are scaling up our malaria prevention and treatment efforts. Our wide range of malaria prevention and treatment options include:
  • Insecticide-treated bed nets distribution
  • Community education
  • Environmental management
  • Treatment for pregnant mothers
  • Anti-malarial drugs provision
  • Case management and referrals for patients
However, no single response can defeat malaria. So we are part of a growing global movement to combat malaria with strong coordination between governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations, local citizens, and supporters like you.

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What is the U.S. doing?

In June 2005, President Bush launched the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI). He pledged to increase U.S. malaria funding by more than $1.2 billion over five years to reduce malaria-related deaths by 50 percent in 15 African countries. He also challenged other donor countries, private foundations, and corporations to help reduce the suffering and death caused by this disease.

However, given the grave threat to the lives of children worldwide, these actions have not been sufficient. In order to display leadership and commitment to averting a leading cause of child deaths globally, the United States must:
  • Increase the U.S. financial contribution in the fight against malaria to more than $500 million next year with the goal of $1 billion a year by 2010.
  • Support U.S. leadership of global scale-up of proven malaria interventions, such as universal coverage of insecticide-treated bed nets.
  • Given the deadly synergy between HIV and AIDS and malaria, fulfill the U.S. commitment to providing $48 billion over the next five years to fight HIV and AIDS, malaria, and other diseases.
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Please pray with us

Pray for wisdom for decision-makers who have the power to increase resources to fight this killer of children.
Pray for health and fullness of life for those vulnerable to malaria.
Pray for the collective will to eradicate malaria, once and for all.


Learn more

Get involved

  • Send a message to your members of Congress. Ask them to increase our contribution to the fight against malaria.
  • Donate now to provide bed nets for children who have none.
  • this page with friends and family.

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Sources
  1. UNICEF State of the World's Children, 2008
  2. UNICEF Health Malaria
  3. WHO Malaria in Pregnancy
  4. Roll Back Malaria: The Cochrane Collaboration; American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 68(Suppl 4), 2003 pp. 23-29
  5. WFP World Hunger Series, 2007


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Advocacy handbook (PDF)
The link between malaria and HIV and AIDS (PDF)


More malaria resources

Rollback Malaria
World Health Organization
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Center for Disease Control

From the field:
Arresting a leading killer of young children

Questions about
End Malaria? Contact us.

World Vision is committed to:

Increasing private funding for anti-malaria programs;

Distributing insecticide-treated bed nets;

Advocating for at least $1 billion per year from the U.S. government to combat malaria;

Developing corporate partnerships to leverage resources like bed nets and medication;

Strengthening and expanding a movement to eradicate malaria.


Video:
A story from Africa

Watch malaria video Watch malaria video

Video: On a trip to Malawi, World Vision's David Scheiman witnessed first-hand the devastating effect that malaria has on children.

Running time: About 2 minutes

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