Battling Malaria in Africa, USAID Anticipates Nearly $100 Million Award for Widescale Spraying Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2005
1118-05-116
Press Office: 202-712-4320
Public Information: 202-712-4810
www.usaid.gov
Contact: USAID Press Office
WASHINGTON, DC - As part of the President's Malaria Initiative, the U.S. Agency for International Development today announced that it is seeking input from interested organizations regarding their ability to implement a major public health program to fight malaria in Africa. The Request for Information, issued November 7, is in anticipation of an approximately $100 million award for indoor residual spraying - the organized, timely spraying of an insecticide on the inside walls of houses, designed to reduce and ideally interrupt malaria transmission from mosquitoes to people.
Under this program, USAID will purchase insecticide, supplies and equipment to conduct scientifically sound spraying programs for malaria control. Currently, there are 12 insecticides approved by the World Health Organization used for spraying in malaria control, including DDT. USAID expects to consider the use of all insecticides on a scientific, case-by-case basis, and will provide the essential technical planning, training, logistics and support needed before spraying begins.
"Through the President's Malaria Initiative, USAID is taking aggressive action to implement substantial spraying activities beginning in Angola, Tanzania and Uganda," said Dr. Kent R. Hill, Assistant Administrator of the Bureau for Global Health. "President Bush's initiative, barely five months old, is moving at an unprecedented rate and we will begin planning for other target countries in a matter of weeks. USAID is hard at work because we want to save as many lives as possible, most especially children and pregnant women."
On June 30, 2005, President George W. Bush pledged to increase funding for malaria prevention and treatment by more than $1.2 billion over five years, with the goal of reducing malaria deaths by 50 percent in target countries after three full years of implementation. By 2010, the U.S. Government will provide an additional $500 million per year for malaria prevention and treatment. This effort will eventually cover more than 175 million people in 15 or more of the most affected African countries.
The initiative will support the efforts of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; the World Bank; Roll Back Malaria; and other donors.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.
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