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By Sarah's World member Melissa Chapman (Add Melissa as a friend) Imagine, the simple act of sleeping beneath an insectidicidal net could mean the difference between life and death. 
The World Health Organization, has issued new global guidance about the distribution and use of long lasting insecticide treated nets to protect African communities from the deadly effects of malaria. Each year, malaria- a preventable and treatable illness- claims the lives of more than one million people, the majority of whom are African children under five years old.
So just what are these long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN)? At a price of just five US dollars per net, these particular nets are treated with insecticides that repel, disable or kill the mosquitoes that transmit malaria to the humans they bite. And unlike the conventional nets which needed to be re-treated on a regular basis, these LLIN’s are designed in such a way that they needn’t be retreated for the life of the net. Based on the results of a Kenyan study from 2004 to 2006 in which there were 44% fewer deaths among children who slept under insecticide treated nets as opposed to children who slept unprotected, the WHO now recommends free mass distribution of LLIN’s to young children, pregnant women and eventually to all people in targeted communities where malaria is most prevalent. To find out how you can help by visiting the World Health Organization online Get more information on the global fight against malaria and the Roll Back Malaria Partnership initiative Readers have left 2 comments. 1. Posted by belinda on 2008-02-20 05:55:49 I think the idea of distributing mosquito nets is a wondeful gesture and an essential means to prevent the spread of malaria in many communities around Africa - my only concern would be that these particular nets are treated with insecticide, which could have carcinogenic qualities that could possibly damage a person's health...  2. Posted by WBYW on 2008-11-06 10:34:06 give fish occurs, but give Rod is forever. How about building a African Factory to make Mosquito Nets for Africa. Like Dubble in Ghana the Fair Trade Chocolate?
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