Canadian Red Cross expands Campaign Against Malaria in Africa with support from CIDA
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Canadian Red Cross Secretary-General Pierre Duplessis and the Honourable Josée Verner with students from the Charles H. Hulse Public School in Ottawa. | |
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Canadian Red Cross Secretary-General Pierre Duplessis and the Honourable Josée Verner demonstrate to how to use a mosquito net to students of Charles H. Hulse. | |
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The Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages, today announced that Canada is committing $20 million to the Canadian Red Cross malaria program and other malaria programs aimed at saving lives in Africa.
"Through today's investment to the Canadian Red Cross, Canada is contributing to programs in Africa like the Malaria Bednet Campaign that are resulting in thousands of lives saved," said Minister Verner. "The Canadian Red Cross estimates that the bednet program alone will save up to 88,000 people in Africa, mostly children, who would otherwise have died from malaria or related illnesses. Today’s announcement will allow us to continue the fight against malaria in Africa."
More than two million long-lasting insecticide-treated nets will be distributed free-of-charge by thousands of Red Cross volunteers as part of an integrated child health strategy in Africa. Sleeping under a mosquito net is one of the most proven and cost-effective ways to prevent malaria. The mosquito net component of the program will complement other community-based interventions such as Vitamin A supplements, measles vaccinations, and de-worming treatments.
Today’s new funding builds upon the Canadian International Development Agency's previous contribution of $26 million to the Canadian Red Cross to support similar malaria programming in Africa, while developing new approaches to frontline malaria treatment. New developments include the training and deployment of volunteers to diagnose and deliver effective medications to remote areas.
“Canadian Red Cross is extremely grateful for this support and for Canada’s continued commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable people around the world, especially in Africa,” says Dr. Pierre Duplessis, Secretary-General of Canadian Red Cross. “Together, we are supporting proven and cost-effective initiatives that will address the urgent, unmet needs of countries that bear a very high burden of malaria."
Of the more than one million deaths each year that are attributable to malaria, more than 900,000 occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Annually, malaria kills more children in Africa than any other disease.
Canadian Red Cross is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which includes the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and 185 national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Our mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity in Canada and around the world.
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High resolution photos and video are available upon request
For more information, please contact:
Canadian Red Cross, Media Relations Office; Telephone: (613) 740-1994
Nicole Lascelle, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of International Cooperation
Telephone: (819) 953-6238
Media Relations Office, Canadian International Development Agency
Telephone: (819) 953-6534
E-mail: info@acdi-cida.gc.ca
