Last year malaria killed more people worldwide than HIV/AIDS (about 3 million people), with the majority of the deaths occurring in children less than five years of age. Unlike AIDS, malaria can be prevented and cured. In 2008 we will be expanding our project as fast as possible to cover hundreds of villages and to thousands of more people. However as we expand we will still have to maintain, diagnose and treat those that are now under our aid umbrella. Funding them is crucial to the long term sustainability of our work. Sumba has one of the highest occurrences of malaria in Asia. To address this urgent problem, in 2004 we retained a world renowned malaria expert, Dr. Claus Bogh, to develop our malaria and health programs. An estimated 20% of all children die or become severely brain damaged by malaria before the age of 10. Based on our clinical surveys of targeted villages, 62% of the children below the age of 5 and 30% of the total population had malaria. That number has now been drastically reduced by 85% in the children living in the villages that are covered in Phase 1 of our Malaria Control Program. Phase 1 of our comprehensive Malaria Control Program started in 2004 and covered 603 people in 6 villages. In 2007, our Phase 2 expansion has reached 6,000 people living in 121 villages within a 45 square kilometer area. At least 60 children’s lives have been saved since the start of the program. Our comprehensive approach includes:
• conducting baseline testing to establish existing malaria infection rates and a population census for each village • mass screening of the entire population living in the villages • distribution of insecticide treated mosquito nets for each household • on-going testing and treatment for malaria cases • constantly upgrading our clinics capabilities for malaria diagnosis and treatment • consistent monitoring of bed net usage and maintenance Our goal is to eliminate all deaths from malaria in our project areas and to reduce the number of malaria cases by at least 90 percent. The following components of our Malaria Projects can be sponsored.
Funding will includes the mapping of the area including neighboring smaller villages, mass malaria screening of the entire population, fast dipstick blood testing, medical treatment with the best anti-malarial medicines, hiring and training of village health workers, de-worming and vitamin-A treatment of all above 2 years of age, and the on-going compliance monitoring and maintenance of the program. This also includes the purchase and distribution of specially imported long lasting impregnated mosquito nets. The nets are produced from synthetic fibers that are impregnated with strong insecticides.
The amount needed to treat and protect a large village against malaria: US$25,000
Funding will includes the purchase and distribution of mosquito nets, blood testing and medical treatment with anti-malarial medicines, the hiring and training of village health workers and the on-going compliance, monitoring and maintenance of the program in the village.
The amount needed to treat and protect a medium village against malaria: US$12,500
The amount needed to treat and protect a small village against malaria: US$5,000
The amount needed to fund a malaria microscopy training program: US$3,000
The amount to provide 100 mosquito nets: US$1,000
Funding will provide 50 people with life-saving anti-malarial diagnosis and medicine.
The amount needed to fund 50 people: US$250