GEARED at combating the scourge of malaria in Africa, Standard Chartered Bank through NetsforLife initiative is embarking on the distribution of five million Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLITNs) in 18 African countries.
In the phase two of the NetsforLife programme that will last till 2013, Standard Chartered Bank has committed $5 million over five years to the US$50 million to be raised to distribute a minimum of five million LLITNs.
Country Chief Executive Officer, Bola Adesola said that malaria is a critical health issue to Standard Chartered, which impacts its staff, customers and communities.
?On World Malaria Day we celebrate a future where prevention is no longer needed. We are extremely proud to support NetsforLife in the fight against malaria,? Adesola said.
The bank along with five other donors has to date enabled the delivery of 6.3 million mosquito nets and has trained over 40,000 community leaders across Africa through NetsforLife.
?Standard Chartered Bank will run a series of events throughout Africa. In Nigeria, these would include malaria eradication awareness campaigns, facilitation of trainings targeted at recruiting more volunteer malaria agents and distribution of mosquito treated nets over the course of the year in heavily affected areas of the country.
?In Nigeria, the bank works closely with its partners Exxon Mobil and the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation, the respective state local governments and the national malaria control centre to join forces and adopt sustainable solutions to combat this disease.
?This effort represents a positive step in collaboration between the government and the private sector to control malaria and demonstrates the bank?s commitment to supporting the communities in which it operates,? he said.
Malaria is the leading cause of death among children under five in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the World Health Organisation. The disease costs Africa more than US$12 billion a year in productivity loss, according to the Lancet Journal. Running prevention programmes in 17 African countries, NetsforLife empowers communities to fight malaria. More than 18 million people have benefited from the work they do.
NetsforLife was launched in April 2006 in Zambia during Africa Malaria Week. Its aim was to distribute one million LLITNs to 16 African countries over three years, from 2006 to 2008.
The 16 countries in phase one remain the focus in the phase two programme, now with the addition of Sierra Leone and Guinea.
?After consultation with the World Health Organisation (WHO), coverage will shift from the most vulnerable people (primarily children under 5, pregnant women, the chronically ill and the elderly) to 90 per cent coverage.?
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