Photo: United Methodist Church, Partners Launch Life-Saving Campaign in Cot...( Bed net distribution helps preven...),Health

Bed net distribution helps prevent malaria

ALEPE, Cote d'Ivoire, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The people of The United Methodist Church and their partners worldwide helped Cote d'Ivoire's National Program in the Fight against Malaria launch an integrated health campaign November 11 that will vaccinate 3.5 million children in Cote d'Ivoire (formerly Ivory Coast) and blanket the country with bed nets to stop the spread of malaria.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/unitedmethodistcommunications/36018/

Lauded by government and public health officials as the first integrated campaign of its kind in the West African nation, the insecticide-treated bed nets are being distributed as part of a five-day effort targeting children under age five with measles vaccinations, de-worming medication, and vitamin A.

The World Health Organization estimates that there were 242,000 measles deaths globally in 2006.

Additionally, there are more than one million malaria deaths. In Africa, a child dies every 30 seconds from malaria.

"Why are we waiting for a malaria vaccination?" asked Dr. Komla Siamevi, the Cote d'Ivoire WHO representative. "One of the best ways to prevent malaria in children under the age of five and pregnant women is to enable them to sleep under an insecticide treated net."

Bishop Janice Riggle Huie, leader of the Texas Conference, is in Cote d'Ivoire with a 35-member volunteer delegation from Texas helping deliver more than 855,000 long-lasting, insecticide treated nets, purchased through the Nothing But Nets campaign, in five of the 18 designated distribution districts this week. The Texas team raised $1 million to support this effort.

The event is the culmination of two years of coordination by the Texas and Cote d'Ivoire regional conferences of The United Methodist Church, the
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