The year is 2015. Malaria deaths have been eliminated throughout the world. The fatal disease no longer ravages countries, communities and families. It no longer kills mothers and fathers—and it no longer kills children.
Local schools are full again. Healthy children sit behind the desks in every classroom, developing their skills and preparing for their future. They have more energy to learn and play. Mothers spend more time caring for their families. Many families no longer need to make the impossible choice between spending the their income on malaria treatments or on food. Without incurring exorbitant medical bills year after year, families are able to become financially stable, enabling them to provide a better quality of life for their children and turn their attention to aspirations for the future. The emotional relief is immeasurable. African governments have more money to spend on economic development. Much of the $12 billion in lost economic productivity is restored, improving local economies and reinvesting resources into infrastructure, businesses and people. The investments are creating better living conditions and successful, sustainable communities in which children and families are thriving.
No child that’s born in this future will ever have to worry about dying from malaria.
Today malaria continues to be a massive global threat, but the possibility of ending deaths caused by the disease is within reach. Malaria is entirely preventable and treatable, yet each day it continues to kill approximately 2,000 children around the world, devastating families and disrupting communities. Though many people are unaware of it, malaria is one of the leading causes of child deaths in the world and can be a life-threatening complication during pregnancy. 3 billion people worldwide are still threatened by the disease.
The truth is, we know how to end it. Until 60 years ago, malaria was a major threat in the U.S. In 1946 the U.S. created the Center for Disease Control and Prevention with the specific task of eliminating malaria. It only took us 5 years for this goal to be accomplished. This is tangible proof that when made a priority, malaria can be stopped.
Prevention tools are simple and have been proven effective. Spraying insecticides inside homes, using the appropriate anti-malarial drugs, and sleeping underneath bed nets dramatically reduce the impact of malaria. For every $6 treated bed net, the lives of 2 children can be saved. More nets in more communities means fewer infected mosquitoes carrying the deadly malaria parasite, and fewer infected mosquitoes means fewer people at risk. Unfortunately, many families affected by malaria survive on less that $2 a day, so these preventable measures are not affordable options for them.
No child should die from a mosquito bite, and if we work together as individuals, campuses, communities and churches, no child will have to. ACT:S to END MALARIA is a campaign to do our part by using our voices and actions to end malaria deaths by 2015.
Join us! We can be the generation that finally ends malaria. Sign up to get started.
