Health
Saving a Whole Life With a Five-Dollar
Bill
By Diane V. McLoughlin
07/02/08
Every year in the developing world, somewhere between one
and three million children die from malaria, a preventable
infectious disease that is spread by mosquitos.
Distributing insecticide-impregnated nets in conjunction with
improving access to Artemisinin - a Chinese drug made from
Wormwood - child deaths in a recent study were reduced by
50% in Ethiopia; 60 percent in Rwanda...a reduction realized
in only two months, in the latter case.
If the efforts applied in the study were able to be copied
across the developing world, malaria could be reduced by 80
- 85% in five years. A scourge of mankind finally would be
placed in the dustbin of history, at long last.
It is notjust that poverty creates the conditions for disease to
creep in. It is that disease creates the conditions for poverty
and want to spread their crushing tentacles around, and to
squeeze the life out of, weakened humanity.
N is for nets. A is for Artemisinin. Na, na, na, na. Na, na, na,
na. Hey, hey, hey! Good bye malaria!
At, Against Malaria, five dollars buys a net. ALL the money
goes to nets. No overhead. There are cool graphics,
distribution maps and donor appreciation rolls with map
icons to show where you are from.
Private donations and private initiatives no matter how small
are encouraged. Fun in school or local organization drives is
encouraged, too.
They make it look like a party. Message: Have fun, save
lives, while putting malaria down for the count, and out!
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