FORMER President Jakaya Kikwete is optimistic that the cooperation that exists among African governments, international organisations, private companies and individuals can eradicate malaria.
Expressing his sentiments during the 10th year commemoration celebrations of the Malaria No More initiative which were started by Mr Ray Chambers and Mr Pater Chernin, Dr Kikwete said that eradication of the disease was possible because there was already living testimony in Zanzibar.
During the celebrations, Dr Kikwete was conferred with the White House Summit Awards in recognition of his outstanding leadership, his service and more importantly on taking leadership in the initiation of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), an organisation that now has 49 leaders.
“There are many reasons why the number of deaths caused by malaria have decreased, but even more important is the political will of supervising one another in the fight against the disease,” Dr Kikwete said, responding to a question by CNN presenter Wolf Blitzer in his show ‘the Situation Room.’
Elaborating more to over 250 guests, President Kikwete said that the availability and distribution of malaria drugs as well as that of treated mosquito nets have been instrumental in the reduction of deaths of children below 5 years old.
Since 2000, malaria mortality rates have fallen by 58 per cent among children under the age of five, but there is need to expand access to existing tools and develop new ones to win this fight.
Malaria No More was established in December 2006 and is a non-profit organisation that has a global network of affiliate organisations in other countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Japan.
This allows for the local advocacy to rally public support and work with other grassroot groups such as the Mosquitoes Suck Tour to inspire students to get involved.
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