World Vision Partners with UNICEF to Fight Malaria

|TOP|International Christian relief agency World Vision is fighting to eliminate malaria in the tsunami-recovering province of Acech, Indonesia.

Partnering with UNICEF and the District Health Office in Aceh, World Vision is holding awareness campaigns and distributing products to prevent the deadly disease from spreading.

The disease, which transmits from one person to another by the female anopheline mosquito, is now mainly confined to Africa, Asia and Latin America. Approximately 300 million people are affected by malaria and between 1 and 1.5 million people die from it every year.

|AD|As part of the malaria awareness campaign last week, more than 300 people attended educational events and activities regarding the disease in the Aceh Besar district. World Vision distributed 152 mosquito nets to 117 households in Lambaro Seubon village.

One of the highlights during the event was a comedy skit performed by children from World Vision's Child Friendly Space (CFS). The well known group 'Apa Gense' not only entertained, but educated them about malaria and its prevention through the drama titled 'The Naughty Mosquitoes'.

Jumati 33, a mother of two, said this was the first time a malaria campaign had been conducted and mosquito nets distributed in her village. "Usually I just use the fan to get rid of the mosquitoes," said Jumati carrying her 21-month-old baby. "So this is a very good prevention," she said.

According to the Provincial Health Office in Aceh province, there were more than 25,000 clinical cases of malaria in 2005, with three deaths. Malaria cases almost doubled between 2001 and 2005, with elderly people and children are at greatest risk of succumbing to the disease.

This is the third time World Vision has conducted malaria-awareness and prevention activities in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar district. World Vision launched the mass-awareness campaign in December last year.