A new campaign enables the public to fund malaria tests and treatments for children in Africa through online and mobile technology.
Novartis has announced that 2-million treatments of its paediatric antimalarial are arriving in Zambia thanks to the on-going efforts of the company in collaboration with Malaria No More’s Power of One campaign.
Zambia is the first beneficiary country of this campaign, with 1-million treatments of Coartem Dispersible having been funded through public donations and 1-million treatments matched by Novartis. The anti-malarials will reduce the disease burden in Zambia, which accounts for up to 40% of infant mortality in that country.
“Although the incidence of malaria has decreased, the disease still kills a child every minute in Africa,” says Joseph Jimenez, CEO of Novartis. “Our commitment to Power of One reflects our company’s long-term efforts to fight malaria and Novartis remains dedicated to controlling and ultimately eliminating this deadly disease.”
Power of One is a global digital fundraising campaign that enables people around the world to help end child deaths from malaria. This fatal disease has been recognized by the World Health Organization as a priority area of public health. This year’s World Health Day (7 April) focuses on vector-borne diseases, and malaria is the most deadly.
The campaign, which launched to the public in September 2013, uses social, mobile and e-commerce technologies, enabling the public to purchase treatments for children in Zambia. Donors are able to share information with their social networks and encourage friends to donate.
“One-and-a-half-million treatments are already on the ground in Zambia thanks to the Power of One campaign, with a further 500 000 anticipated in the coming weeks,” says Martin Edlund, CEO of Malaria No More. “Power of One is resonating with the general public, and their donations will help us ensure that children in Zambia will have access to the treatment they need.”