European Lawmakers Echo Consortium's Call For New Effort To End 'morally Unacceptable' Malaria Deaths

Main Category: Tropical Diseases
Article Date: 25 Apr 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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As leading figures in the global fight against the disease gathered in Brussels to mark Africa Malaria Day, the London-based Malaria Consortium has called for Europe to take a lead in international efforts to fight the disease. The consortium, linking donor governments, international agencies such as WHO and Unicef, major companies and Non-Governmental Organisations, said that good progress in recent years showed that malaria could be beaten.

According to ts Executive Director, Sunil Mehra, "effective preventive tools and treatment are reaching some African children but not all who deserve them. What we need is sustained commitment of resources, political and public will to reverse the morally unacceptable number of deaths from malaria. The European Union and its member states can provide lead to win this fight against malaria."

Among other organisations marking Africa Malaria Day at the European Parliament, the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership's Executive Secretary, Awa Coll-Seck, called on other countries to rally behind Europe's lead. "The EU countries are leading contributors to the Global Fund for HIV/Aids, TB and Malaria; this is highly commendable. However, the rest of the world must get behind the global effort to increase and ensure reliable funding is available to finally beat malaria - this silent killer of millions annually," Professor Coll-Seck said.

Stephen O'Brien MP (Conservative, UK, Shadow Health Minister and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Malaria Group), said "There is no other widespread killer, especially of children in Africa, than Malaria, which is as preventable, treatable and curable. All it takes is sustained political will, and scaled-up, well-targeted resources. Africa Malaria Day gives all of us with a voice the chance to call on everyone to unite and help us beat this scourge of Africa."

Thierry Cornillet (UDF, France), will host a press conference to mark Africa Malaria Day, at 11.00 on Tuesday 25 April (Room PHS OA50), at which Sunil Mehra, Professor Awa Coll-Seck, Emile Bongeli, Health Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, will be among speakers.

This will be followed by a press lunch hosted by Mr Cornillet. For more information about the press conference and lunch, journalists should contact:

http://www.malariaconsortium.org

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