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United
Nations officials stated Thursday that a plan backed by approximately $3 billion
in pledges would eliminate malaria by the year 2015. Aimed at decreasing the
number of deaths by malaria, which is currently reported at almost 1 million annually,
by 100%, the plan includes providing access to bed nets, indoor spraying,
upgraded methods of diagnosis and treatment, as well as developing new vaccines
for the disease.
Presently, remote areas of Africa and Southeast Asia are the
most affected by the parasites-triggered condition worldwide. Moreover, death
occurs mainly in infants and toddlers.
Ray Chambers, a United States philanthropist, stated that
malaria was the main cause of death in children throughout Africa, also costing
the continent an annual amount of $30 billion in health costs and economic
losses.
Microsoft tycoon Bill Gates, along with Bono from U2, Simon
Fuller, Peter Chernin and heads of state and ministers from Australia,
Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Zambia were the officials who
presented the plan on Thursday.
Dr. Awa Marie Coll-Seck, a former health minister of Senegal,
said that this was the most comprehensive plan to both fight and eliminate
malaria in the next seven years.
U. N. leaders informed that in order for the plan, which is
sponsored by the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, to achieve its goals, $6
billion had to be raised via donations by the year 2010. Afterwards, approximately
$900 million per year would have to be spent on further research on vaccines and
drugs.
The biggest donors to the project, which include
non-governmental organizations, nations and private donors, are said to be the
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the World Bank.
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