Malaria kills about 400,000 people every year and more than 200 million fall ill. Before bed nets were made available, it was three or more times that. Nets are a proven intervention - a more effective a way of saving lives than any other. There is still a long way to go and every death from malaria is preventable.
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70% of the deaths are children under 5
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Malaria is the world's most significant disease killers of pregnant women
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90% of the deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa
Yet malaria is totally preventable and treatable. Nobody need die. Prevention is better than treatment.
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The most effective means of prevention is sleeping under a mosquito net
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Specifically a Long-Lasting Insecticide treated Net (LLIN)
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Each net costs $2.00/€1,70/£1.50
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Every 50-250 nets distributed and installed equals 1 life saved
Humanitarian issue
Given the scale of this problem, malaria is clearly a humanitarian issue.
Economic issue
Malaria is also an economic issue. Malaria is the single greatest drag on the economy of Africa. Every $1m spent fighting malaria efficiently improves the GDP - the wealth - of the continent of Africa by $12m. Fighting malaria is a very good investment.
As well as the approximately 400,000 people that die from malaria each year, more than 200 million fall sick with malaria. And that means a parent has to stay home with a sick child, teachers cannot teach, farmers cannot farm, drivers cannot drive, people cannot function. It fundamentally affects people working and productivity in Africa.
Every $1m we spend fighting malaria efficiently we improve the GDP - the wealth - of the continent of Africa by $12m.
If we want to help Africa out of the situation we all find it in beating malaria is very high up, if not top of, the list.