Roll Back Malaria has combed through the WHO World Malaria Report and the Global Malaria Action Plan to compile some of the top figures on malaria in an easy to use three-page document. Here is a sampling of the information they have gathered:
- Malaria is responsible for nearly one million deaths, mostly children under 5 years
- 91% of malaria deaths occur in Africa
- 3.3 billion people, half of the world’s population, are at risk for malaria
- Malaria results in $12 billion per year in direct losses in Africa, 1.3% of GDP
- 40% of public health spending in sub-Saharan Africa is directed to malaria
- Malaria accounts for over 10% of average household yearly spending in Africa
We know more now than ever before, and the data contained in this document is just what malaria advocates need to make the case for increased efforts and resources in the global fight against malaria.
Learn more by reading the full document here.
-Rena Pacheco-Theard
The Affordable Medicines Facility for Malaria (AMFm) was launched Friday, April 17th, to ensure that those suffering from malaria have access to inexpensive and effective treatment. The AMFm will reduce the price of effective malaria drugs (artemesinin-based combination therapies, ACTs), in order to drive out older, ineffective drugs (like those containing chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine) from the market.
ACTs are currently 10-40 times more expensive over the counter than their less effective counterparts. Due to the higher price, many patients continue to purchase the cheaper, less effective drugs. Presently, only one out of every five malaria patients has access to ACTs. With the AMFm, this figure is expected to change, as those who pay for treatments will likely see the price of ACTs go from $6-10 per treatment to about $0.20-0.50. The initiative’s first phase will launch in Benin, Cambodia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda.
This innovative initiative to bring down the price of effective malaria drugs, which will be hosted and managed by the Global Fund, was developed by Roll-Back Malaria (RBM). RBM is a global malaria partnership that includes the World Bank, UNICEF, the Dutch Government, the Global Fund, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Clinton Foundation. The cost of $225-233 million needed for medicines in the first two years will be supported by UNITAID and the United Kingdom government.
To learn more, read the press release here.
-Rena Pacheco-Theard
Actor Ashton Kutcher beat CNN to one million followers on the social media platform Twitter at 2:13am EST Friday. To celebrate his triumph over the network giant, Kutcher is sending 10,000 mosquito nets to help Malaria No More fight malaria in Africa. This will help protect 20,000 children from this disease-and raise awareness just in time for World Malaria Day on April 25th!
Kutcher is highlighting World Malaria Day on April 25th by mobilizing his Twitter followers to tweet about the disease and donate mosquito nets to Malaria No More. On Tuesday, Kutcher realized that he had over 850,000 followers on Twitter (making his Twitter feed the third most-followed after Britney Spears and CNN) and the gauntlet was thrown! In only a few short days, he has gotten tens of thousands of people to sign up to help him reach his goal and send mosquito nets to Africa. CNN joined in the fun and tracked the race to a million on air and on the web, with Larry King and Anderson Cooper urging their viewers to put CNN over the top—but in the end, Ashton carried the day!
Ashton Kutcher is leveraging the incredible power of Twitter to catalyze one of the biggest pro-social movements in history. This is an amazing model of how modern technology and social networking can be applied to a social issue, inspire millions of people and help save lives. Follow Ashton and congratulate him for his great work and for helping to save lives from malaria at http://twitter.com/aplusk.
Malaria No More is determined to end malaria deaths and is using every weapon in its arsenal.including new technologies to fight an ancient disease. Twitter has emerged as a robust vehicle for raising mass awareness and rallying the world to say NO MORE to malaria deaths. Follow Malaria No More on Twitter at http://twitter.com/malarianomore.
-Emily Bergantino, Malaria No More
