HHS Participates in Africa Malaria Day 2003

July 7, 2003 - Scott Evertz, HHS Special Advisor to the Secretary for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, delivered on behalf of Secretary Thompson the opening tribute at a special event commemorating Africa Malaria Day. The commemoration, which took place at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., featured a breakfast reception and panel presentation attended by representatives from HHS, USAID, the Department of State, and numerous other partners in the Roll Back Malaria Global Partnership including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the World Bank.

"Malaria in Africa merits the same unyielding effort we would give it if it were right here in the United States," insisted Evertz as he outlined the U.S. programs designed to counter the epidemic. "Make no mistake—the Secretary and the President are deeply committed to the fight against malaria."

The remarks were delivered as leaders from international health institutions and partners in Roll Back Malaria commemorated efforts to lessen the burden of the disease, review progress toward the Abuja Goal, and launch the first Africa Malaria Report in a ceremony, followed by an information update and panel discussion led by HHS and USAID. The information update focused on the Africa Malaria Report and findings from the study of Insecticide-Treated Nets, which was carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute in Western Kenya.

Indeed, Evertz stressed the importance of greater international cooperation in combating the terrible scourge of malaria, and he detailed a number of U.S. government efforts.

"My country is proud to devote unprecedented resources to combating public health crises the world over. But we know that we cannot do it alone."

To date, the United States has pledged $1.6 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and $256 million from the fund is scheduled to go to 25 African countries for malaria control over the next two years. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and CDC have also stepped up their efforts over the past several years. NIH funding for malaria research has jumped almost 400 percent since 1996, to $81.8 million in FY2003, and CDC efforts have included establishing safer and more effective surveillance, treatment, and prevention measures while working closely with USAID’s anti-malarial programs.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our anti-malarial efforts," said Evertz.

Malaria, a parasitic disease, affects an estimated 500 million people and results in up to two million deaths each year. Ninety percent of malaria deaths occur in Africa, and the disease accounts for approximately $12 billion a year of lost African gross domestic product. It is estimated that in an average day, 3,000 African children tragically die as a result of the disease.

"These are terrible numbers. But they’re numbers we can change," said Evertz.

Africa Malaria Day is celebrated each year on the anniversary of the African Summit on Roll Back Malaria, which was held in Abuja, Nigeria, on April 25, 2002.

Last revised: August 15, 2007