Washington D.C., May 13, 2019 - The U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) released its 13th Annual Report to Congress last week, revealing new data showing PMI is helping protect more than 570 million people annually from malaria, a preventable and treatable disease that kills a child every two minutes.
“The President’s Malaria Initiative, under the leadership of Global Malaria Coordinator Dr. Ken Staley, is recognized the world over as a leading funder, innovator and implementor in the fight against malaria. By partnering with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, as well as faith-based organizations and private sector partners, U.S. efforts to fight malaria are having expansive impact, saving lives and preventing cases of malaria in countries hardest hit by the disease,” said Martin Edlund, CEO, Malaria No More.
Since 2000, global efforts, led by U.S. investments, have reduced malaria deaths by 60% and malaria cases by 37%, saving seven million lives and preventing more than one billion cases. The President’s Malaria Initiative was launched in 2006 under President George W. Bush, with the United States committing unparalleled financial resources and technical expertise to significantly reduce maternal and child deaths from malaria and help end extreme poverty in 15 African countries. Under the leadership of President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama and thanks to longstanding bipartisan support in Congress, PMI has now expanded to 27 countries in Africa and Southeast Asia and helped drive reductions in all-cause child mortality in every country in which PMI operates.
Since its inception, PMI has distributed more than 346 million insecticide-treated nets, 547 million antimalaria treatments and 384 million malaria rapid diagnostic tests. There has also been a 51% decline in malaria death rates in countries where PMI operates. An independent analysis published in 2017 and conducted by University of North Carolina and Harvard economists found that PMI has directly saved the lives of nearly 2 million children in Africa.
Building on the significant results outlined in this report, Malaria No More is calling for PMI’s annual funding to be increased by $64.3 million to $819.3, enabling the program to have an even greater impact in Sub-saharan Africa and the Greater Mekong Subregion.
“As PMI’s 13th Annual Report to Congress makes clear, the program has had historic success in saving lives and advancing America’s interests. This is made possible by longstanding bipartisan support in the Congress. We look to the Congress to strengthen America’s leading role in the malaria fight by increasing funding for critical, cost-effective programs like PMI and the Global Fund,” said Josh Blumenfeld, Managing Director for Global Policy and Advocacy, Malaria No More.
“Supporting malaria prevention and control is a U.S. national security and foreign assistance priority, as well as one of the most cost-effective development investments the U.S. Government can make. A malaria-free world will help break the cycle of poverty, especially for women and children who are disproportionately affected by the disease, by unlocking immeasurable human potential, improving the health of hundreds of millions of people and will saving and improving lives for generations to come,” said Blumenfeld.
###
For more information or interview requests, contact Michal Fishman at +1 504-220-2792 or Michal.Fishman@MalariaNoMore.org
About Malaria No More
Malaria No More envisions a world where no one dies from a mosquito bite. More than a decade into our mission, our work has contributed to historic progress toward this goal. Now, we’re mobilizing the political commitment, funding, and innovation required to achieve what would be one of the greatest humanitarian accomplishments – ending malaria within our generation. For more information, visit www.malarianomore.org
