[US] Bush adds four nations to anti-malaria drive

from Independent On Line

Washington - US President George Bush has added Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Senegal to his $1,2-billion (about R8,1-billion) initiative to reduce malaria-related deaths by 50 percent in countries picked to receive the aid, the White House said on Friday.

The four African countries join Angola, Tanzania, and Uganda, which were chosen in June 2005. Eight more countries will be added in fiscal year 2008, Bush spokesperson Tony Snow said in a statement.

Bush's initiative "commits a landmark $1,2-billion over five years aimed at reducing malaria-related mortality by 50 percent in each of the target countries after three years of full implementation," he said.

"This effort will eventually cover more than 175 million people in 15 or more of the most affected African countries," Snow added.

'Full implementation'
The President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) has so far benefited nearly two million people in Angola, Tanzania, and Uganda thanks to "cost-effective malaria prevention and treatment activities," he said.

The US Agency for International Development (USAid) also announced that Timothy Ziemer would serve as the US malaria co-ordinator, Snow said. He will have direct authority over the PMI and all USAid malaria programs and policy.