The model was pioneered in Nigeria, where Muslims and Christians – who make up most of the country's population – have begun working together in the last few years. Expressing solidarity and unity, Nigeria's prominent religious leaders showcased their collaboration and reaffirmed their commitment to ending malaria deaths.
"There's no Christian or Muslim disease ... that's why we are fully and totally committed," said Sultan Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar of Sokoto of Nigeria.
The faith leaders are also collaborating with the Nigerian government, which has found the faith-based sector an integral partner in the malaria fight.
Babatunde Osotimehin, minister of health in Nigeria, is confident that Nigeria will be rid of malaria in the coming years through the new partnerships. He pointed out, however, that partnering with faith communities is not about networking but about utilising those who are trusted by the people.
“Politicians come and go,” Osotimehin said. “Nigerians know and trust faith leaders.” Nigeria accounts for 25 per cent of malaria cases in Africa.
Susan Rice, US ambassador to the United Nations, applauded the new spirit of collaboration and assured global leaders on Friday of the United States' commitment.
"If we could bottle the energy and expertise in this room, we would surely have malaria on the run," she said.
"It's time to band together to bring another unnecessary plague to its necessary end. I'm here today to say that malaria is a scourge that we will end,” she declared. "On World Malaria Day, the United States pledges to continue working with this extraordinary collaboration with all of you to further spur grassroots, governmental and private sector efforts to defeat this beatable, treatable disease."
Perhaps most exciting to those attending the One World Against Malaria launch was the energy from the youth and the felt assurance that future generations will have malaria and other devastating pandemics on the run.
Eight-year-old Katherine Commale is close to raising $100,000 for the Nothing But Nets campaign and is actively raising awareness in churches and schools about the preventable disease.
“I have heard people talk about [ending] malaria by 2015. I think if we work really, really hard we could even end malaria a year early,” she said, after receiving the Dragonfly award. “I can’t wait until the day when the children of Africa don’t have to worry about malaria anymore.”
