MANY people will be planning for their summer holidays and for some destinations, visitors will need to think about precautions to prevent diseases such as malaria.
Nine out of ten cases of malaria occur in sub-Saharan Africa, an area which contains many of the world's poorest countries. The existence of malaria exacerbates the levels of poverty in these areas and the cost of controlling it drains economic resources.
April 25 was the first Africa Malaria Day and its designation reflects a commitment by the African countries to control malaria and reduce the poverty it causes.
The first step in controlling malaria is the provision of insecticide-treated bed nets to all African households.
The UK Department for International Development has been a key donor in the Roll Back Malaria campaign, but more funds from the world's donor communities are needed before even this first step can be achieved.
Alison J Cicin-Sain
The Brackens
High Wycombe
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