As World Malaria Day 2009 approaches, we have a realistic hope of a world without malaria. A broad alliance of government, business, nongovernmental organizations and faith-based groups has joined capable country partners in making some of the largest gains in the history of public health. In many parts of Africa, malaria is on the run. And despite the difficulties of a global financial crisis, this is the time to press our gains and finish the job.
We — a broad, diverse group of faith leaders — are deeply grateful for your personal commitment, to the eradication of malaria. In a time of competing priorities, you have made clear that the health of children and a generous foreign policy remain priorities of our country. Malaria is a stalker of children, and an enemy of development, but it is also a solvable problem. The methods to fight malaria are known and proven. The drugs to treat malaria are effective. The will to confront malaria is growing. Recent progress against malaria has been dramatic. And the stakes could hardly be higher — the lives of children and the economic health of a whole continent.
American leadership is essential in fighting malaria. Members of both parties have recognized both a humanitarian responsibility and a national interest in our nation’s expanded fight against malaria. This effort adds to the stability of an important region and opposes despair and radicalism with hope and progress. It expands economic opportunity, for others and for our own citizens. Given that it reveals the good heart of America to the broader world, we hope that you will keep the malaria fight before the G8 community.
Fighting malaria is a national investment with clear results and demonstrable returns. We urge our government — both the executive branch and Congress — to maintain and increase its commitments to ending malaria and to urge the G-8 to continue to make malaria an international priority. These investments are expressed in the malaria community’s current request for funding for bilateral malaria programs, as well as robust contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria and support of the World Bank’s Booster Program. Combined, these resources are necessary to put the U.S. on the path to fulfilling your commitment to ending malaria deaths by 2015.
We also hope, Mr. President that your distinguished Faith Council will adopt the fight against malaria as a major emphasis, acting as a constant reminder within our government of the priority of this issue.
Acknowledging the role of government, we recognize that the faith community has its own responsibilities in these matters. Indeed, the resources dedicated to fighting malaria will not be effectively used without the active engagement of people of faith, at home and abroad.
Malaria makes no distinctions between Muslim, Christian and other children in Africa. And an effective response requires the cooperation of all faiths. Where clinics are absent often there is a church or a mosque — a major distribution point for treated bed nets. Faith communities have volunteers who can engage in early identification for treatment. And because families must be trained in the proper use of bed nets and the importance of indoor spraying, mosques and churches can act as trusted educational institutions as well.
So we are committed to — each in our own communities — to making the fight against malaria a global, interfaith effort. Over the next several months, we will offer a series of specific commitments to advance the fight against malaria in Nigeria and other highly endemic countries. We will work with faith communities in those countries as partners to aid and expand their efforts. We will do all we can to ensure that resources spent to fight malaria are effectively spent, by helping to mobilize the faith sector in this effort.
Interfaith dialogue is important. But it is often interfaith action that leads to healing and understanding. And we are determined to act on malaria.
Mr. President, the fight against malaria is a great, hopeful cause. It is a cause that brings together government, business and faith communities. A cause that achieves American interests while expressing American values. A cause that transcends the differences of party and religion. A cause that serves the most vulnerable members of the human family. And a cause on the verge of historic success.
We pledge to join you in this cause, until that success is won.
