Statement by Dr. Daniel Carucci, Vice President for Global Health for the United Nations Foundation on the Progress Shown in the World Malaria Report 2009

For the past decade, the United Nations Foundation has led the fight against malaria, and I am encouraged to see proof in the World Malaria Report 2009 that the global strategies for ending malaria deaths are working. The World Health Organization released the report today stating one-third of the 108 malaria ravaged countries have reduced malaria cases by more than 50% in 2008 compared to 2000. While an influx of financial and political support in recent years has propelled this progress, we need more.

“To achieve the World Health Assembly goal to eliminate malaria deaths by 2015, everyone needs do their share. We need world leaders to make prevention and treatment widely available to those who need it, families in malaria endemic countries to vow to sleep under insecticide-treated nets and get treatment when they’re sick, scientists to continue to develop new interventions including an effective malaria vaccine, and countries and corporations to boost funding of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

“Our partners have helped us build a growing movement to end malaria. Through Nothing But Nets, our grassroots campaign to send long-lasting insecticide-treated nets to families in Africa, hundreds of thousands of Americans fight malaria one bed net at a time. And through the UN Foundation’s Malaria Partnership, the United Methodist Church and Lutheran World Relief are mobilizing their members to raise up to $200 million.

“I’m confident our partners and supporters are as encouraged as I am by the success outlined in this report and will build on the momentum to reach the health-related United Nations Millennium Development Goals. The MDGs can be reached only if we give all families the interventions needed to prevent and treat this and other diseases.”

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