African leaders ally to eradicate deadly malaria

UNITED NATIONS: African states launched an campaign on Wednesday to stop malaria from killing an estimated 1 million people on their continent each year.

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The objective of the 20-member African Leaders Malaria Alliance is to eradicate nearly all malaria deaths by the end of 2015. The overwhelming majority of victims are children under 5 and pregnant women, according to the alliance, whose formation was announced on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Malaria costs Africa an estimated $12 billion each year in health care outlays and lost economic opportunities, the alliance said.

With an estimated 500 million annual cases, Africa is the continent most affected by malaria, accounting for 86 percent of all cases and 91 percent of all malaria deaths worldwide, President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania said at the alliance's launch.

Rampant poverty has burdened prevention, control and cure efforts, Kikwete said. The alliance is designed to allow members to achieve efficiencies in the procurement, distribution and employment of malaria controls.

The international community has donated $3 billion to finance the project, which plans to distribute more than 240 million insecticide-treated beds throughout malaria-endemic African countries by the end of 2010, the alliance said.

"The goals look ambitious but I am confident they are achievable," Kikwete said.