ExxonMobil Marks First-Ever World Malaria Day

Main Category: Tropical Diseases
Article Date: 25 Apr 2008 - 14:00 PDT

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Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) takes the battle against malaria to three continents in commemoration of the first-ever World Malaria Day on April 25.

This follows ExxonMobil's announcement it will donate $10 million to anti-malaria efforts through the "Idol Gives Back" episode of the FOX-TV show American Idol, earlier this month.

"Malaria kills an African child every 30 seconds and more than 1 million people a year," said Rex W. Tillerson, chairman and chief executive officer. "World Malaria Day provides an opportunity to increase awareness and direct engagement in fighting the devastating consequences of this preventable disease. ExxonMobil is committed to the fight, which is why we're doing everything we are -- from helping to develop new drugs to distributing insecticide-treated nets to places where they are desperately needed."

ExxonMobil employees and executives are participating in a number of activities in Africa, Europe and North America on World Malaria Day designed to raise awareness and resources in the battle against malaria.

- In Africa and Europe, employees of ExxonMobil retail operations have initiated a fund-raising campaign for the purchase of life-saving bed nets.

- In Africa, ExxonMobil's medical director of global issues and projects, Dr. Steven Phillips, is a part of the Roll Back Malaria Zambezi Expedition, a voyage on the fabled Zambezi River to showcase successes and highlight challenges associated with the fight against malaria, as well as distribute bed nets and provide medical treatment. ExxonMobil played a coordinating role and is sponsoring the Zambezi Expedition, which is a partnership of Roll Back Malaria, six countries from the Southern African Development Community, non-profit institutions and private companies.

- In Washington, DC, J. Stephen Simon, senior vice president, Exxon Mobil Corporation, is participating in a World Malaria Day event at the White House, hosted by President George W. Bush. ExxonMobil is the largest corporate donor to the President's Malaria Initiative.

- Also in Africa, ExxonMobil affiliates are distributing bed nets and holding a variety of malaria-related community and employee events, such as poster displays, malaria conferences, and health education sessions.

The $10-million donation announced by ExxonMobil, the largest non-pharmaceutical corporate donor to malaria research and development efforts, will be directed to Malaria No More, a non-profit organization with the mission to end deaths due to malaria.

The donation to Malaria No More will bring ExxonMobil's commitment to organizations engaged in important community and social development projects in Africa to more than $130 million, which includes $50 million committed through the company's Africa Health Initiative.

The Initiative was established in 2000 in support of the Abuja Declaration on Roll Back Malaria in Africa and its goal to halve malaria deaths by 2010. Since then, ExxonMobil has developed on-the-ground public-private partnerships to fight malaria at the community level, progress treatment and vaccine research and raise awareness and international support.

As part of those relationships, Dr. Phillips serves on the board of Malaria No More and Roll Back Malaria, a partnership launched in 1998 by the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank.

According to Roll Back Malaria, malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by a parasite and transmitted to humans by mosquito bite. With between 1 million and 3 million deaths annually and 3,000 children deaths daily, it remains one of the globe's leading infectious killers. The majority of its victims are children under the age of five and pregnant women.

About Exxon Mobil Corporation

Exxon Mobil Corporation and ExxonMobil Foundation, the primary philanthropic arm of Exxon Mobil Corporation in the United States, engage in a range of philanthropic activities that advance education, health and public policy in the communities where ExxonMobil has significant operations. In the United States, ExxonMobil supports initiatives to improve math and science education at the K-12 and higher education levels. Globally, ExxonMobil provides funding to improve basic education and combat malaria and other infectious diseases in developing countries. In 2007, together with its employees and retirees, Exxon Mobil Corporation, its divisions and affiliates, and ExxonMobil Foundation provided $207 million in contributions worldwide.

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