April 25 marks World Malaria Day, and in Australia we also commemorate ANZAC Day. The coincidence of these occasions is a reminder of the debilitating effect malaria has had on Australian soldiers in the Asia Pacific, particularly in New Guinea during the Second World War and in Vietnam.
Malaria continues to have a huge impact today, particularly on the world's most vulnerable. According to the World Malaria Report 2009, there were 243 million people suffering from malaria in 2008 and nearly 863,000 people died as a result of the disease. Malaria can have particularly severe impacts on maternal and child health.
'World Malaria Day provides an important reminder that more needs to be done to eliminate the basic causes of poor health in the Asia Pacific region. In the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, Malaria incidence is among the highest in the world outside of Africa,' said Mr McMullan, Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance.
'However progress has been made. Malaria cases have more than halved in the Solomon Islands from 199 cases per thousand to 82 cases per thousand, and in Vanuatu from 74 cases per thousand to 14 cases per thousand between 2003 and 2008. This is a result of the commitment by these countries' Governments, their people, and donors including Australia.'
Such successes are achieved largely through the distribution and use of bed nets and residual indoor spraying, combined with testing in the community for the malaria parasite.
Australia supports malaria control and elimination in a number of ways. We have supported the Pacific Malaria Initiative over the last three years, providing $25 million from 2007-2011.
The theme of this year's World Malaria Day is 'Counting Malaria Out'. We are pleased to announce that the Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network is launching its fellowships program on World Malaria Day. Australia has committed up to $6.9 million in ongoing support to the Network, which brings together ten countries in the Asia Pacific Region along with the World Health Organization and academic institutions who are working to eliminate malaria. The Network provides a forum for experts to collaborate on research and share lessons.
The five short-term fellowships will help to equip the next generation of leaders and health workers from the Asia Pacific region, with the tools and training to guide malaria elimination in the coming decades. Applications for the program open in early May.
More information on APMEN's fellowship program
More information on World Malaria Day