[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 56 (Tuesday, April 20, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         WORLD MALARIA DAY 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 20, 2010

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
importance of World Malaria Day, which will be commemorated this year 
on April 25th.
  Recently, there has been significant progress in the fight against 
malaria. The U.S. government provided 15.6 million artemisinin-based 
combination therapies (ACTs) to treat acute malarial illnesses in 2008 
alone. As a result of increased efforts to provide life-saving 
treatment and prevention efforts, countries like Rwanda and Zambia have 
achieved great success. In fact, the prevalence of malaria fell by 53 
percent in Zambia from 2006 to 2008.
  But we cannot afford to stop the fight now. Malaria still causes 350-
500 million infections, and kills nearly one million people throughout 
the world each year, most of whom are young African children.
  Malaria also affects families, communities, and countries as a whole. 
It is estimated that Africa spends nearly 40 percent of all health 
expenditures on malaria and that the continent loses $12 billion a year 
due to the disease; however, no loss is as great as the loss of a loved 
one. The cultural and socio-economic devastation are incomparable to 
the grief borne by families who must deal with this terrible disease.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing World Malaria Day and 
in raising awareness about this disease, so that together we can win 
the fight against malaria.

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