BOPA Daily News
Daily News does not publish on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Please email your comments to DailyNews@gov.bw From 6 July 2006, a graphic version of the current edition is available at the Daily News Online web site. | |
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| Botswana to defeat malaria by 2015 16 October, 2008 | |
GABORONE -Plans are afoot to eradicate malaria from Botswana and three other southern African countries by 2015. Speaking at the pre-launch of the Nets for Life campaign in Gaborone this week, Sir Richard Feachman, who heads the Global Health Group at the University of San Francisco in the United States, said the eradication would also benefit the economy. "We are committed to helping Botswana achieve this milestone, especially that government is also committed," said Sir Feachman. Malaria is one of the oldest diseases, and has killed more people than any other disease, especially in Africa. It is also the most common cause of death among children. Sir Feachman said through their partnership with the Clinton Foundation, they aim to eliminate the disease in four Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries by 2015. The four countries are Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. He, however, noted that mosquito net coverage in Botswana stands at a paltry 10 per cent, but said they are involved in a pilot project in Okavango to distribute 35 000 nets. He added that if the project is successful it would be rolled out to other areas. For his part, Mr David Cutting, who is the head of Standard Chartered Bank Botswana, which finances the project, said the time to eradicate malaria has come. He said it was important to form more public, private partnerships across Africa to achieve the goal. The bank, in partnership with the government, has pledged to distribute 16 500 treated bed nets. The Nets for Life project is an ambitious malaria prevention programme that aims to distribute one million long lasting insecticide-treated nets across the continent by the end of 2008. The project will benefit 16 African countries and about five million nets will be distributed over the next five years. The Episcopal Relief and Development Organisation (ERD) working with the Anglican diocese have joined the bank in the project. BOPA |
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