American Red Cross Expands Fight Against Malaria

Building on the success of saving
1.2 million lives through the Measles Initiative over the past five years,
the American Red Cross is stepping up its long-term commitment in Africa.
One such effort includes an exciting new partnership with Malaria No More,
a public- private network to increase public awareness and support the
fight against malaria.



Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, chairman of the American Red Cross, said, "The
American Red Cross is deeply honored to be a founding partner of such a
committed public-private partnership to ensure that the deadly scourge of
malaria is truly 'no more.' This grassroots movement will take a
comprehensive approach to tackling the disease through distribution of
insecticide-treated bed nets, education, prevention and treatment."



Malaria kills 3,000 children every day and claims almost a million
lives a year in Africa-yet it is a disease that can be prevented and
treated. Malaria is an infection caused by a parasite and carried person to
person by mosquitoes.



"Today we commit our family of Red Crossers to mobilize 50 thousand
additional volunteers throughout Africa for the next two years and to
reaching 10 million people with the distribution of lifesaving bed nets and
education. When mothers talk to mothers and neighbors talk to neighbors
about malaria prevention, millions of lives will be saved," says
McElveen-Hunter.



The American Red Cross has supported effective health campaigns in
Africa through the Measles Initiative, delivering free, insecticide-treated
bed nets to young families during vaccination campaigns and providing
technical expertise and financial support to national Red Cross and Red
Crescent societies in Africa to build strong networks of local volunteers.
These local volunteers are trained in malaria prevention, then visit from
home to home, family to family, teaching communities how to prevent this
deadly disease.



The program will build on the success the American Red Cross has
experienced with the Measles Initiative, begun five years ago, which has
supported the vaccination of more than 217 million children in 41 African
countries, saving 1.2 million lives. It is the success of this program that
sets the stage for the Movement's role in the new partnership with Malaria
No More.



The American Red Cross' malaria prevention and education activities
include:


- Distributing free, insecticide-treated bed nets alongside vaccinations
through the Measles Initiative


- Supporting Hang-up and Keep-up programs in which trained health
education volunteers visit families house-to-house, making sure nets
are properly installed and maintained. Red Cross and Red Crescent
volunteers focus efforts on pregnant women and children under the age
of five


- Promoting healthy behaviors, including proper bed net use, eliminating
mosquitoes, promptly treating fevers and getting additional nets for
new families


- Evaluating and tailoring health education campaigns based on solid
research data


- Providing bed nets in emergencies like floods and evacuations, and
stockpiling nets for future needs



The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to
emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees
helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to
millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families
stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross,
the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The
American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent
Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is
invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a
government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do
its work. For more information on American Red Cross malaria reduction
activities, see redcross.


American Red Cross

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