It’s working: We’re making progress against malaria

In Geneva today, the World Health Organization released the 2011 World Malaria Report — and there’s great news! This year’s report has data from 99 countries, and shows that, working together with our partners, we’re saving lives from malaria.

Check out a few new stats from the 2011 World Malaria Report:

• We’ve hit an all-time low in deaths due to malaria! There were an estimated 655,000 malaria deaths in 2010.
• Malaria mortality rates have dropped by more than 25% globally and 33% in Africa since 2000.
• The number of bed nets delivered to malaria-endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa increased from 88.5 million in 2009 to 145 million in 2010 — contributing to a 5.3 percent drop in malaria deaths.
• Families are using the bed nets you’re sending: An estimated 50 percent of households in sub-Saharan Africa now have at least one net, and 96 percent of people with access to a net use it.
• With these new estimates, we’ve pushed back the clock even further — a child now dies every minute from malaria, instead of every 45 seconds. Incredible process in a short span of time, but one child every minute still means far too many children are dying from malaria.

All of this is great news — it shows that we’re making impressive progress in the fight against malaria. However, the World Health Organization warns us of some potentially bad news: there’s a projected shortfall in malaria funding, and this could threaten the progress we’ve made.

Ray Chambers, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Malaria, says: “The toll taken by the current economic crisis must not result in our gains being reversed, or progress slowed. With Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s charge for near zero deaths by end of 2015, turning back now is not an option.”

Nothing But Nets — together with partners and supporters like you — is not turning back. We’re committed to sending nets, saving lives, and spreading the buzz. There are so many ways to show your commitment to saving lives with us:

• Send a net. Save a life.
• Sign your name to pledge your support.
• Shop through Buy4.com – your everyday online purchases can give back.
• Spread the buzz on Twitter – Tweet this: We’re making progress against malaria – Join the movement with me and @nothingbutnets! http://bit.ly/t6w9mX

Thanks for joining us in the movement to end malaria — as you can see, sending nets really does mean saving lives. Together, we can cover a continent and be the generation to end malaria deaths.