The Millennium Development Goals In Action: Part VI (Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases)

The Millennium Development Goals in Action: Part VI

Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases

We hear much about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) but just exactly what are they and what are some real life examples?

Our eight part series, The MDGs in Action, looks at real life examples of each goal and the people working to achieve them.

MDG Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases 

A Programme In Action: Rotarians Against Malaria

Your Action: Support Rotarians Against Malaria, 'Like' on Facebook, Tweet or Adopt a Village.

MDG 6 – Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases

Reducing and reversing the prevalence of HIV, Aids, Malaria and other disease by 2015 is a global challenge, and as one of the Millennium Development Goals it will be a focus at this months UN Conference in Melbourne.

What is HIV/Aids and malaria?

HIV is a virus that causes Aids and subsequent failure of the immune system leading to life-threatening infections and death. Malaria is an infectious disease spread by mosquitoes and in severe cases causes hallucinations, coma, and death.

Who do these diseases affect?

A recent United Nations progress report on the MDGs shows that two thirds of those needing treatment for HIV/Aids and malaria live in sub-Saharan Africa, and that in 2008 Africa accounted for 72 per cent of new HIV infections in 89 per cent of deaths from malaria.

HIV/Aids

“Between 2003 and 2008, the number of people receiving antiretroviral therapy increased tenfold – from 400,000 to 4 million,” Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Sha Zukang, said.

The UN Progress Report said that the spread of HIV infection and death related to Aids had dropped to 2 million and that the epidemic appeared to have stabilized in most regions. In sub-Saharan Africa in 2007 there was a promising increase of 39 per cent of people receiving antiretroviral therapy.

However, the rate of new infections persistently exceeds the expansion of treatment, for every two people who begin treatment, five more people are newly infected with HIV every year.

In other words 5.5 million people in need of treatment do not have access to medication.

Malaria

On the issue of malaria Sha Zukang said, “major increases in funding and a stronger commitment to control malaria have accelerated delivery of malaria interventions [and that] across Africa, more communities are benefiting form bed net protection and more children are being treated with effective drugs.”

The UN report said that although increased funding has delivered more bed nets and made treatment more available half the world’s inhabitants are still at risk of malaria.

Like HIV and Aids, because of high levels of poverty, malaria is most prevalent in Africa and in 2008 was responsible for 863,000 deaths.

Hope

Secretary-General of the UN, Ban Ki Moon, said that although these figures are daunting “rather then retreat, now is the time to accelerate progress towards the MDGs and to strengthen the global partnership for development … nothing less than the viability and the future of humanity are at stake.”

Mr Moon said the goals are of vital importance because they “represent human needs and basic rights that every individual around the world should be able to enjoy.”

HIV/Aids, malaria and other diseases will be issues covered in detail at the UN conference and workshops in Melbourne as a prelude for the UN summit in NY next month.

Article written by Lauren Jones

Source: http://makinghealthglobal.com.au/millennium-development-goals/mdg-6-combat-hivaids-malaria-and-other-diseases/

Rotarians Against Malaria

Rotarians Against Malaria in Australia (RAM)work to achieve the following objective:


“The prevention of mortality, and a reduction in morbidity and social and economic loss caused by malaria through a progressive improvement and strengthening of local and national capabilities in malaria control.”


Malaria is one of the biggest killers in the world today, attacking some of our most vulnerable communities and contributing significantly to the untold suffering and sustained poverty of more than forty per cent (40%) of the world’s population.


The malaria parasite is carried by the Anopheles mosquito which is a tough adversary.


Much funding worldwide has been provided for research into the development of vaccines and the establishment of malaria control programmes.

One of the best ways of preventing malaria is to avoid coming in contact with mosquitoes. This can be achieved by sleeping under a treated mosquito net. Treated bed nets have been shown to be over 70% effective in reducing the incidence of malaria in those areas in which they are able to be used.

Adopt a Village

Women in Papua New Guinea manufacuring mosquito nets which will protect against Malaria infection.

Rotary in Australia developed the “Adopt a Village” programme in 2004, initially for PNG but extended it to cover the Solomon Islands in 2005. Donors could “Adopt a Village” , a small village may cost $1,000, a medium size village may cost $2,000 and a large village may cost $3,000. This donation allowed every man, woman and child in your adopted village the opportunity to sleep under a Life SavingTreated Bed net each night. Its success in PNG has resulted in some areas of the country becoming virtually free of the disease. In the Western and Choiseul Provinces of the Solomon Islands where a Rotary International Grants were focused, a reduction in the incidence of malaria occurred from about 330 cases per 1,000 head of population per year to less than 80 cases per 1,000 per year, It relies heavily on the cooperation of local National Health Departments and the input of Rotarians from both around Australia and within local communities.

RAM provides leadership, financial and strategic support to implement its mission through:
• Control Strategies;
• Education; • Research;
• Partnering with other funding providers; and
• Working collaboratively with Governments in our Region (Solomon Islands,Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste).

To find out more about RAWCS RAM projects:


Read about the current status of the Adopt a Village Project (July 2010)
Check the RAM Australia Website http://www.ramaustralia.org/
RAM New Guinea website http://www.ram.com.pg
RAM Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands http://www.ramguadalcanal.com.sb
RAM Newsletters

To donate to RAM and save lives:
To find out how you can donate to these programs click here


Source: http://rawcs.com.au/RAWCSPrograms_malaria.htm