ADB renews commitment to fight malaria on the occasion of Africa Malaria Day

Tunis, 25 April 2005.  The African Development Bank Group today joined its regional member countries and other development partners to commemorate Africa Malaria Day.

In a statement to mark the day, the Bank pointed out that this year's theme "United against Malaria" and its associated slogan of "Together We can Beat Malaria" underscored the importance of a durable commitment and a global partnership in fighting the disease.  Malaria is estimated to cost Africa an estimated US$ 12 billion a year arising from a variety of costs ranging from unplanned household expenditures on anti-malarial treatment, interrupted learning among school children, and loss of labor productivity. 

The statement noted that the Bank Group was among development partners that witnessed and participated in the firm commitment of African Heads of State and Government to creating an enabling environment to halve the victims of malaria by 2010.  This took place during the African Summit on Malaria held in Abuja, Nigeria, in April 2000. Commitment at the highest levels of the political order, the statement read, required complementarity in the global capacity to deliver affordable and effective anti-malarial treatment and preventive actions to populations most at-risk to malaria - who so often are the poorest of the poor.

Over the past five years the Bank Group has outlined clear strategies to guide its support to efforts by the regional member countries to roll back malaria. Bank activities in malaria control have included specific components in health projects, in addition to activities across a variety of sectors, especially the agricultural sector.

The commitment of the Bank to malaria control and other pro-poor initiatives have contributed to justifying increased resources under the 10^th replenishment of the African Development Fund (ADF).  The Bank Group anticipates that the new ADF resources will be used to further reinforce public as well as private sector service delivery systems essential to support national efforts to halve and reverse the burden of malaria, and enhance economic productivity and growth.