Voices of the Youth

  Young Leaders Speak Out About Malaria

Delegates to the UN Global Youth Leadership Summit who come from malaria endemic countries have firsthand knowledge of the devastating impact of malaria. By sharing their experience, they are helping to build global awareness about the critical need roll back malaria today for a brighter future tomorrow. These delegates will help spread the message that six out of the eight MDGs can only be reached with effective malaria control in place.

Children and malaria:
Malaria kills a child somewhere in the world every 30 seconds. It infects at least 500 million people each year, killing 1 million. Ninety per cent of those who die are in Africa, where malaria accounts for about one in five of all childhood deaths. The disease also contributes greatly to anaemia among children, a major cause of poor growth and development. During pregnancy, malaria is associated with maternal illness and severe anaemia. It contributes to low birthweight among newborn infants -- one of the leading risk factors for infant mortality. Malaria also has serious economic impacts in Africa, slowing economic growth and development and perpetuating the vicious cycle of poverty.
From UNICEF.org