Malaria

Malaria kills over a million people a year -- mainly young children. Most deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, where the disease accounts for one in five of all childhood deaths. Women are especially vulnerable to malaria during pregnancy, when the disease can lead to life-threatening anaemia, miscarriages, and the birth of premature, low birthweight babies.

More rapid and effective treatment of malaria with antimalarial drugs could prevent malaria deaths. Meanwhile, many child deaths from malaria can be prevented through the widespread use of low-cost insecticide-treated bednets. But only an estimated 1% of African children today sleep under a bednet at night.

One fifth of the world's population is at risk of malaria -- mostly in developing countries. Malaria acts as a major brake on development in the poorest countries -- accounting for millions of days of lost productivity and missed schooling.

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Malaria control strategy

The Roll Back Malaria (RBM) partnership is committed to halving the global burden of malaria by 2010.

The strategy for improved malaria control includes:

• access to rapid diagnosis and treatment at village/community level
• preventive treatment for pregnant women
• multiple prevention measures (including insecticide-treated bednets and vector control)
• a focus on mothers and children -- the highest risk groups
• better use of existing malaria control tools
• research to develop new medicines, vaccines, and other tools
• interventions such as the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) to reduce child deaths from malaria
• improved surveillance to improve epidemic forecasting and response.