A Ray of Hope: Protecting Children around the World from Disease

By Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Chairman, the American Red Cross and Rear Admiral Timothy Ziemer, Coordinator, the President’s Malaria Initiative.

In the United States, each school year begins with the same ritual. Parents hop in their cars and drive their children to the family doctor or clinic to get vaccinations—it is as easy as stopping by the grocery store or picking up the dry cleaning. It may be a slight inconvenience, but it gives children a lifetime of protection against diseases like measles—a disease which has been virtually eliminated in the United States.

The stakes are very high. According to UNICEF, 120 out of 1,000 children in Madagascar will die before they reach their fifth birthday. Just a few years ago, measles killed nearly 4,000 Malagasy children annually. For those who survive, measles can cause blindness, severe diarrhea, and respiratory problems. Today a deficiency in Vitamin A contributes to one in four child deaths. Malaria is all but forgotten in the U.S., yet it remains the leading cause of death for children under five in Africa, killing approximately 1 million people each year, and impacting millions more.

For the thousands of African mothers who bury children each day, there is a ray of hope – we have the power and now the opportunity to change this situation.
The solutions are strikingly simple:

• Less than $1 can vaccinate a child against measles;
• For pennies, a dose of Vitamin A and de-worming medicine can help them resist infections and grow stronger;
• $10 pays for a bed net that will protect a family for up to five years.

Starting on October 22, the government of Madagascar, with the American Red Cross, the U.S. government and partners from around the world, is launching a two-week, health campaign that will reach more than 2.8 children under five years old with measles vaccinations, Vitamin A, and de-worming medicine. More than 1.5 million children will receive an insecticide-treated mosquito net. Campaigns like this are taking place across Africa and other high-risk areas, where international agencies are coming together to deliver hope to millions of children.

Since 2001, the Measles Initiative—led by the American Red Cross, UNICEF, WHO, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and United Nations Foundation—has helped reduce measles deaths by 60 percent worldwide and 75 percent in Africa (compared to 1999 levels).

Last year, an estimated 500,000 children were made stronger with Vitamin A supplementation, and in 16 of the 20 countries for which we have data, there has been at least a three-fold increase in the use of insecticide-treated bed nets across sub-Saharan Africa since 2000.

President Bush announced his Malaria Initiative (PMI) in 2005 and pledged to increase funding by more than $1.2 billion through 2010 in 15 of the hardest hit nations in Africa. By the end of the year, it expects to reach 30 million people with lifesaving prevention and treatment measures. Americans can be proud that they are giving the gift of hope through donations and taxes to thousands and thousands of people whose names they will never know.

But we have a long way to go. Malaria alone affects more than 300 million people, mostly children, worldwide each year. Measles needlessly affects another 20 million. In developing countries, more than 50 percent of children who die from infectious diseases were suffering from malnutrition.

Many Americans have joined the fight. Students in high schools and universities are collecting funds to provide measles vaccines and bed nets in Africa. Youth at Red Cross clubs from coast-to-coast are holding bake sales, talent shows and other fundraisers to protect vulnerable children.

Innovative public-private partnerships are emerging – in which government leaders, business executives, faith-based groups, and humanitarian agencies are providing millions of needy children with life-saving vaccines and nets. By working together – combining resources and cutting down on duplication – we are raising awareness and mobilizing the vital funds needed to protect children. All children deserve a chance to be protected from preventable diseases. Together, we can ensure that the next generation of Africans not only survives, but thrives as they receive the promise of a healthy, stronger future.