Washington, D.C. – (December 2, 2015) – Malaria No More today honored administration and congressional leaders in the fight against malaria at its annual Champions Breakfast, held at the Newseum. Rear Admiral Tim Ziemer, U.S. global malaria coordinator for the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI); Chairwoman Kay Granger of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations; and Congresswoman Nita Lowey, ranking member of the Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, were honored for their leadership on malaria and commitment to the key global health programs that have been instrumental in saving millions of lives.
“I am pleased to accept this honor on behalf of the President's Malaria Initiative team," said Rear Admiral Tim Ziemer. "The story of U.S. leadership in the fight against malaria is one of immense progress. The result is a shared success with countless champions from partner countries, donors, the private sector, non-governmental and faith-based organizations, philanthropists, and health workers.”
The United States is the top global funder of anti-malaria efforts, through the President’s Malaria Initiative and contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Launched by President George W. Bush in 2005, PMI aims to reduce the malaria burden and relieve poverty in Africa. President Obama expanded PMI, which is now operating in 19 high-burden countries and the Greater Mekong Subregion. It has been a major catalyst in saving children’s lives and building countries’ capacity to fight malaria.
Strong global partnerships and smart investments have helped cut malaria deaths by 60 percent over the last 15 years. However, as many as 1 billion people remain infected with the malaria parasite, and nearly 500,000 people still die from malaria each year.
Congressman Ander Crenshaw, co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, co-founder of the Congressional Caucus for Effective Foreign Assistance, and a 2013 recipient of the Malaria Vision Award from Malaria No More, commended the work of his colleagues: “Enormous advances have been made against malaria, which is a 100 percent treatable and preventable disease. Since 2000, more than 4.3 million lives have been saved and 670 million malaria cases have been averted. Fifty-two countries are now on track to reduce malaria cases by 75 percent by the end of the year. Through the hard work of those honored by Malaria No More and all who wage the battle against this disease, we have shown that we can defeat malaria and must continue to move forward in that mission together.”
“I am proud to have supported America’s initiatives to fight and eliminate malaria around the world,” said Congresswoman Kay Granger. “Children today are surviving with the help of anti-malarial treatments, when just a decade ago their chances of dying after being bitten by a malaria-infected mosquito were tragically high.”
“It’s an honor to receive this year’s Malaria Vision Award,” said Congresswoman Nita Lowey. “As ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, I’m proud to support U.S. programs focused on ending malaria-related deaths around the world, including the President’s Malaria Initiative. We’ve made remarkable progress distributing millions of life-saving bed nets and medicines, but we still have much more work to eliminate malaria once and for all. I thank Malaria No More for being tremendous partners and champions helping prioritize this critically important goal.”
The annual breakfast was attended by leaders who are committed to ending malaria, including members of Congress, private-sector leaders, congressional staff, diplomatic leaders from malaria endemic countries and donor countries, as well as members of the global health and development community.
