Malaria takes the lives of more than a million people around the world each year – a staggering number for a preventable disease.
Malaria is caused by parasites that are transmitted by mosquitoes. According to the CDC, it is a treatable disease if diagnosed and treated promptly and correctly, yet in developing parts of the world, access to treatments and preventative measures are often extremely limited. According to the World Health Organization, 92% of malaria cases occur in Africa, and 40% of the world’s population lives in malaria-risk areas.
UNICEF reports that malaria kills one child every 30 seconds – approximately 3,000 children per day. Children that do survive can face physical and mental impairment, which in turn affects their access to education and their futures.
Cheap antimalarial medication is proving to be less and less effective at treating the symptoms of malaria and the more effective drugs are often ten times or more the cost of alternatives.
The single most effective way to prevent malaria is through an insecticide treated bed net (ITN).
Through their partnership with Compassion International, the Venverloh Family Foundation has provided funding to distribute insecticide treated bed nets to 16,602 individuals. Along with the protective equipment, Compassion used the funds to train caregivers on malaria prevention and identification.
