WHO NEWS

Malaria kills 3000 children a day in Africa

Three thousand children die of malaria every day in Africa, according to the Africa malaria report, published on 25 April. Released jointly by WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the report highlights the urgent need to make effective antimalarials available to those most at risk. The drugs needed exist but those who need them most urgently do not have access to them, the report says, and only a small proportion have bednets treated with effective insecticides. "Malaria continues to tighten its grip on Africa," said WHO's Director-General, Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland. "But by scaling-up our efforts we can reverse this trend."

The report challenges the international community to halve the global burden of malaria by 2010 by investing in malaria control programmes, putting malaria higher on the health agenda, increasing business involvement in supplying antimalarials and treated bednets, and ensuring the availability of the new generation of highly effective combination drug treatments to populations at risk.

The proper use of insecticide-treated nets combined with prompt treatment of malaria in the community can reduce malaria transmission by 60% and the mortality rate in young children from all causes by at least 20%. "We have the knowledge and the potential to achieve our target," said Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF, "but we need much greater investment and political commitment."

For a hard copy of the report contact the CDS Information Resource Centre, email cdsdoc@who.int. It is also available from: http://mosquito.who.int/amd2003/amr2003/amr_toc.htm .