Government Catches Up with The Church

The Heads of State of 14 sub-Sahara African countries are about to launch a drive to eradicate all Malaria-related deaths by the year 2015 – ambitious, but achievable. The cost? $3 billion. The method? To distribute 240 million bed nets infused with insecticide that will protect people as they sleep and kill off the mosquitoes that light on them.

People in mosquito infested areas are most vulnerable at night time because they are unable to defend themselves, giving the pests the opportunity to land on them and pierce their skin. While they suck on their blood the person becomes infected.

Malaria is a vicious enough disease, but when the sufferer is already malnourished and doesn’t have easy access to treatment the results are all too often fatal.

So this international effort, it is hoped, will seriously dent the mosquito’s ability to inflict death to millions of Africans, particularly to African children.

But why has this not happened before? Well it has, but not on this scale. For decades Christian Churches have been following this kind of programme to good effect. Unfortunately Churches, especially African Churches, don’t have access to $3 billion, but on a small scale it has been done with help from better off Churches.

Christians in Ireland and Scotland for example have in the past put up the cash to buy hundreds of insecticide-treated nets which African families have been able to buy at cost price on a hire purchase basis. When the money is eventually paid back more nets are bought with it and sold on and so it continues.

At last governments have caught on to the necessity of these nets – the knowledge and technology have always been around but it is only now that the political will has been found – and the necessary dollars.