GLOBAL HEALTH | Addressing the world’s health challenges
24 April 2008
Malaria Initiative Helping Save Lives, Treat Disease
U.S.-African partnerships are crucial to program's success
Washington -- Efforts to reduce deaths caused by malaria in 15 African countries are succeeding because of a cooperative strategy based on partnerships between the United States and each African nation, says first lady Laura Bush.
"In 2005, President Bush took action to respond to this crisis by launching the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI). PMI is a five-year, $1.2 billion program that's combating malaria in 15 African focus countries," says Mrs. Bush. "Partnerships are at the heart of PMI's strategy."
The initiative works to combat malaria in humans -- which is caused by the bite of a malaria-infected mosquito -- by supplying insecticide-treated bed nets, spraying insecticides in houses and providing cutting-edge medicines to those who have been diagnosed with the disease, Mrs. Bush says. "And it offers preventive treatment to pregnant women and unborn children," she said April 24 in a briefing for the U.S. Congress.
"More than 6 million long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets have been bought, and around two-thirds of these have already been distributed," Mrs. Bush said. "Houses have been sprayed in 10 countries -- protecting over 17 million people."
More than 12 million treatments of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), which employ the most effective medicine against malaria, have been purchased, she said. Additionally, PMI has supported training for about 30,000 health workers.
"In just its second year of operation, more than 25 million people have benefited from PMI interventions," she said.
Mrs. Bush said that in 2007 participants in World Vision's RAPIDS (Reaching HIV/AIDS-Affected People with Integrated Development and Support) program joined with PMI to deliver approximately 500,000 bed nets in Zambia. Smaller efforts to help protect HIV/AIDS patients, who are highly vulnerable to malaria, have proven exceedingly successful, she said.
"There is now evidence in at least four PMI focus countries that a huge impact on malaria transmission is being achieved," she said. "By the end of this year, at least 70 percent of families in the first seven PMI focus countries are expected to own one or more insecticide-treated mosquito nets."
She said the initiative is making progress toward the goal of reducing malaria deaths by 50 percent in the 15 PMI-targeted countries.
Richard Tren of the research and advocacy group Africa Fighting Malaria told VOA News recently that President and Mrs. Bush have shown considerable leadership in fighting malaria. "They communicate and explain to congressmen that Congress's interest in authorizing and appropriating money for malaria programs saves lives every day and makes an enormous difference," he said.
A transcript of first lady Laura Bush's remarks is available on America.gov.
