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At a time when Canadians are wondering whether development aid is making a difference it’s good to note that we are, for the first time in history, poised to make malaria a rare cause of death and disability.
UNICEF is the world’s largest global procurer and deliverer of insecticide-treated bed nets. In 2008, UNICEF procured 20,000,000 bed nets – a number 20 times greater than in 2000.
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| © UNICEF/HQ2005-0758/Pallava Bagla |
Why is this significant?
Because insecticide-treated bed nets are the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent mosquitoes from biting children and transmitting the parasite that causes malaria.
In fact, endemic African countries have now received enough nets to cover more than 40 per cent of their at-risk populations.
Providing bed nets has become a particularly Canadian way to help our most vulnerable children. Through the Spread the Net campaign which started in 2006, we are very close to meeting our goal of providing 500,000 bed nets to Liberia and Rwanda.
However, every day, 3,000 children under the age of five die from malaria; that’s one child every 30 seconds.
Your ongoing support has already help drastically reduced the transmission of malaria. Your support has also answered the question of whether aid is making a difference.
The answer is yes.
Nigel Fisher
President & CEO UNICEF Canada
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