Back to Communion Page | Diocese of Delaware Home Page
A Malarious Planet!!!
by Wayne McKee, ERD Diocesan Coordinator
Practical cures are at hand
I’ve written about Episcopal Relief and Development’s (ERD) efforts on our behalf to fight malaria but until I read a recent National Geographic article, I had little understanding of the impact this disease is having on half of the world’s population. I know that none of us would say, “Well, so what ... that’s the poorest half” ... however, for years, the more prosperous parts of the world might as well have been thinking that. Malaria really never got their attention.
The stakes are high. 300-500 million people get malaria every year. 1 million die, and three quarters of them are children under five who didn’t stand a chance because they had not developed any protective immunity. Because their immune system is weakened during pregnancy, pregnant women are at-risk, also. So are people with HIV/AIDS. If it doesn’t kill, the debilitating effect of the disease can reduce a victim’s productivity. Because of this, whole villages – even countries – are on the brink of economic collapse. Economists estimate that malaria has a “growth penalty” of up to 1.3% per year in some countries. That’s “huge,” and the gap between countries with and without malaria widens every year.
The World Health Organization has made malaria reduction a priority and, along with the United Nation’s Children’s Fund, the UN’s Development Program, and the World Bank, formed the Roll Back Malaria Partnership to provide a coordinated approach to fighting malaria. The strategy uses every known technique or technology to free people who live in areas where the Anopheles mosquito thrives – to kill her (yes, only females bite, as they need hemoglobin to nourish their eggs) or to develop a vaccine that’ll prevent the disease in humans.
ERD helps distribute and implement these VF nets. Our role has been to educate communities, distribute nets, and supply drug therapy for those already infected. As part of “Nets for Life,” a partnership of corporate and individual sponsors, ERD and Christian Aid plan to distribute and provide training for one million nets in 16 African countries thru 2009. To date, over 3,000 community malaria agents have been trained and more than 210,000 VF nets have been distributed. These are impressive results, but our continued support is needed to sustain this invaluable program.
Perhaps You Can Help
Save three lives with one net ... or, better yet, save thirty-six a year with twelve! Write a check to ERD for $36.00 every quarter and designate it for “Nets for Life,” and you’ve practically done it. $36.00 will pay the cost of distribution and instruction for three nets a quarter. If you would encourage your fellow parishioners to join with you, our diocese could help keep as many as 200,000 people from getting this dread disease every year!
You will hear about ongoing programs and information from your ERD Parish Representative, parish newsletter, or Rector. Please drop by ERD’s site at www.er-d.org for an update. Donations can be made on-line, over the phone at 800-334-7626, or by using ERD envelopes available in your parish. Be sure to mention your parish name when making donations.