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Nearly 3,000 children needlessly die everyday from malaria. That is why AmeriCares plays a key role in the prevention and treatment of this deadly disease. We honor World Malaria Day each April 25 in the hope that we can help stop this tragedy.
AmeriCares is involved with malaria programs worldwide. One of our most recent projects is in Myanmar. Critical malaria medicines and anti-mosquito treatments donated by AmeriCares are helping to stop the spread of this deadly disease in Myanmar which is still struggling to recover from Cyclone Nargis which devastated the country nearly one year ago.
Heavy flooding caused by the cyclone created the perfect environment for malaria-carrying mosquitoes. What’s more, the cyclone destroyed thousands of homes, leaving families little protection from infectious swarms.
In response, AmeriCares partnered with The MENTOR Initiative to protect up to 800,000 of the most vulnerable people in Myanmar by:
• Providing medicines and relief for victims;• Increasing awareness;• Reducing mosquito breeding grounds.
The MENTOR Initiative is the leading international agency devoted to reducing malaria deaths and suffering in humanitarian crises. The approach in Myanmar is modeled after MENTOR’s successful anti-malaria program in post-tsunami Indonesia. It includes medicines to treat newer, stronger strains of the disease as well as mosquito control programs such as insecticides and protective netting.
Despite being highly preventable, malaria kills up to 3 million people each year, mostly children. Severe symptoms include labored breathing, high fever, painful joints, violent nausea and coma, as well as massive convulsions that can lead to death.
The vast majority of malaria cases occur in children under the age of 5 and can cause severe developmental delay and permanent brain damage. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable and are at increased risk for miscarriage and low-birth weight delivery.
Help AmeriCares fight malaria and other deadly diseases around the world. »