The initiative aims to increase resources to prevent and control this leading cause of child deaths worldwide.

June 23, 2008

World Vision is launching a major new initiative to combat malaria. The disease is transmitted through mosquitoes and is the fourth leading cause of death for children under 5 in the developing world.

Each year, more than 1 million people die from the disease, and about 8 in 10 of those are children. Roughly half of the world's population is at risk of contracting the disease. And while malaria has been eradicated in most developed nations, instances of malaria are highly concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, where we work in approximately 400 communities.

Deadly, yet preventable and treatable

Despite the fact that inexpensive ways exist to prevent and control malaria, access to these life-saving options is insufficient for the children, women, and families who need them most. For example, a simple $10 insecticide-treated bed net can protect a family from this deadly disease for five years, but in countries where most families survive on less than $1 a day, $10 can be an impossible sum.

"It is tragic that malaria remains a leading cause of death for children worldwide, despite the fact solutions exist to prevent the disease that are proven and inexpensive," said Joseph Mettimano, World Vision's vice president for advocacy in the United States.

Meeting goal a matter of life and death

Fighting malaria will be a costly venture — an estimated global investment of $3.8 billion to $4.5 billion is needed to support anti-malaria activities worldwide to eliminate the disease. However, the alternative is even more costly — an estimated $12 billion of economic productivity is lost due to malaria illness and deaths each year.

This new initiative aims to reduce the illness and death caused by malaria. As an organization, World Vision is committed to work for at least five years on the initiative. Goals include:

• Increasing private funding for anti-malaria programs
• Advocating for additional government involvement
• Developing more corporate partnerships and leveraging resources like bed nets and medication

This new malaria initiative will allow us to expand and enhance our existing anti-malaria programs. Our wide range of malaria prevention and treatment options include distributing insecticide-treated bed nets, community education, environmental management, treatment for pregnant mothers, providing access to anti-malarial drugs, and case management and referrals for patients.