Every 30 seconds, a child under the age of five dies of malaria

[Karmadillo]

http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cida_ind.nsf/0/61D7D58E4B2A7CB585256FEE0061A008?OpenDocument

When a mother in Africa puts her child to bed at the end of a long day — a day often filled with struggle and worry — she wants to know her child will be safe. But it is a tragic fact that millions of African children are not safe, even in their own beds. Every night, mosquitoes carrying malaria find their way into people's homes and bite children as they sleep.

The numbers are absolutely staggering. Every thirty seconds, a child under the age of five dies of malaria.

Of course, malaria can affect anyone. But in practice, 90 percent of malaria deaths occur in Africa and the majority of deaths are among young children. And when you consider that malaria often makes a child's body more vulnerable to malnutrition as well as other infections and diseases, the need to fight malaria becomes even more urgent.. Every year, malaria directly kills one million children, but it also contributes to another two million child deaths.

Malaria continues to have a huge economic impact on Africa in terms of lost productivity and an increased strain on health care systems. In fact, experts believe that — without the burden of malaria — Africa's economy could be growing, instead of stagnating. Economic growth brings hope and opportunity for the poor to change their lives for the better.

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