Malaria Consortium calls for an increase in malaria funding

“We cannot allow there to be a period when we are not fighting and focusing on malaria because history shows us there will be a resurgence, even where there has been success.”

Malaria Consortium Chief Executive, Charles Nelson, speaking at a conference on the future global and EU health agenda to mark World Malaria Day, said that it was critical that the international development community committed to an increase in investment for malaria prevention and control.

“It looks like there is a commitment to about half of the funds needed for malaria control over the next three years. But we have to find ways to keep the funding up and to increase investment in malaria-affected communities.”

The conference, hosted by Malaria Consortium, and supported by Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership and the Department for International Development/UKaid, was held in the Directorate-General for Development and Cooperation in Brussels today. Speakers included Dr Walter Seidel from the EC’s Directorate General Development and Cooperation-EuropeAid and Dr Jan Van Erps, Coordinator from the RBM Partnership.

Mr Nelson took this opportunity to highlight the impressive achievements already made in malaria prevention and control, but emphasised that there were still many challenges to address: “We have to keep doing what we know works while new tools are added. We need to continue the distribution of mosquito nets and to tailor interventions so that we reach people most in need of treatment. We have to take drug resistance seriously.”

Malaria Consortium also took the opportunity to launch the highly successful photographic exhibition, Malaria: blood, sweat, and tears at the Galleria, in the Development and Cooperation Directorate General. This powerful educational exhibition was devised and produced by award-winning photographer Adam Nadel and Malaria Consortium and can be viewed online at www.malariaconsortium.org/tears.

World Malaria Day is 25th April 2013.

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