mobilizing against malaria

 April 12, 2007

Partnerships are the key to breaking the chain of disease.

Malaria is an ancient disease, but it is a modern-day public health crisis in Africa. A mosquito-borne parasitic illness, malaria kills more than 1 million people a year, mostly children and pregnant women.

Malaria sabotages not only families and communities, but also Africa's economic development. The disease imposes an economic "growth penalty" of up to 1.3 percent of GDP a year in affected countries, preventing them from meeting their full potential in the global economy.

It does not have to be this way. Effective tools — such as bed nets, insecticides, and rapid diagnosis and treatment — can prevent needless deaths.

Under a historic agreement signed in Abuja, Nigeria in 2000, African heads of state committed to reducing malaria-related deaths during this decade. Numerous global organizations are supporting their efforts. Around the world, attention and investments are being focused on malaria like never before.

But money and tools are not enough. Malaria persists largely because fighting it requires coordinated action on an unprecedented scale. The disease is spread from mosquitoes to humans — and back again. Breaking this chain of transmission means focusing not just on individuals, but on entire communities and populations. Governments, corporations, NGOs, and local communities working together must bring all their tools to bear against this insidious disease.

The need for effective partnerships is a central theme of the upcoming Africa Malaria Day, observed each year on April 25th, the anniversary of the Abuja agreement, to raise awareness about the disease and take stock of progress toward the malaria-reduction goals. As a major investor in Africa, ExxonMobil sees firsthand the health and economic impacts of malaria on our workers, their families, and the communities in which we operate. Through our Africa Health Initiative, ExxonMobil is committed to helping African governments and public health agencies reduce the burden of malaria.

As we approach Africa Malaria Day, ExxonMobil is devoting this space to the fight against malaria. The world has mobilized against this disease, and measurable progress is within reach. And the international effort to roll back malaria cannot only reduce human suffering, but also serve as a model for achieving greater health, economic and social progress.