World Malaria Day message

Thursday 22nd April 2010

Malaria is a massive yet solvable problem taking the lives of close to one million people every year, mainly women and children in Africa. However it is an entirely preventable disease – every death is needless.

World Malaria Day is a key moment for the world to stand together, united in one common action, to fight malaria and end the suffering and death it causes.

His message supports the global coalition, United Against Malaria, which aims to raise global awareness and renew worldwide commitment to ending malaria, as well as to increase the use of prevention tools and malaria treatment in Africa.

Full transcript of The Archbishop of Canterbury's Message for World Malaria Day:

One of the things that I was taught when I was growing up was that among the greatest achievements of modern science was the identification of where Malaria came from, the great steps that have been made to eradicate Malaria from the world. That was many years ago and in the intervening years, tragically the challenge of Malaria has grown worse not better. Half the world's population is at risk from malaria, about a million people die because of it every year and not surprisingly the cost is highest among those most vulnerable and the youngest.

But we do have the resources to eliminate Malaria. The goal has been set for getting rid of malaria and on this world malaria day it's important to remember that goal.

It is attainable by some very simple means, not only medication but also prevention.

In Rwanda and Ethiopia it's halved the fatality rate from malaria.

So today is an opportunity for us to remember what can be done and to put our energy and imagination behind the goal, the achievable goal remember, of eliminating Malaria. Let's hope that can be attained, we must do it."

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