Bid to stamp out malaria
2005-10-07 19:12
Geneva - The international Red Cross said on Friday it would distribute more than two million mosquito nets to Niger in an attempt to protect every child in the hunger-stricken country from malaria.
The distribution of the nets, the largest ever campaign of its kind in Africa, will begin in December, the International Federation of the Red Cross said in a statement.
In a joint effort with Niger's government, the federation will provide nets to every household that takes part in the country's polio immunisation campaign to vaccinate all children under five, it said. More than half of all infant fatalities in Niger are from malaria.
"We estimate that distributing (the) mosquito nets in Niger will save the lives of 40 000 children," said Jean Roy, a senior health officer at the Geneva-based federation.
The campaign will cost $13.3m, and will be funded by the Geneva-based Global Fund to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Canadian International Development Agency, the Red Cross said.
Last month, the United NAtions health agency sent 100 000 malaria treatments to Niger and warned that the disease's peak season could compound the humanitarian crisis in the country.
A team of malaria experts also was deployed to Niger, which has been coping with severe food shortages after its crops were ravaged by drought and locusts.
- AP