Why Business Needs to Get Behind The Fight Against Malaria
Today the Malaria Summit 2018 takes place in London, coinciding with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. At Dentsu Aegis Network, we’ve been working towards this day for nearly 16 months. Why is this important for us and why should it matter to you?
Since 2000, modern science combined with unprecedented local, national and global action has delivered record progress, with malaria deaths cut by over 60%, saving almost seven million lives. The Commonwealth is disproportionately affected by malaria: it represents 2.4 billion people, 90% of whom live in malaria-endemic countries. Many have populations where over 90% are at risk of malaria, including Nigeria and India, home to 180 million and 1.3 billion people respectively.
Despite the progress, malaria remains one of the leading causes of childhood death. In 2015 there were over 212 million cases and 429,000 deaths from malaria. Our achievements in reducing malaria are not a given and require renewed investment and attention. In particular, the increasing emergence of drug-resistant forms of malaria and insecticide-resistant mosquitoes threatens our hard-won progress to date .
Dentsu Aegis Network and malaria
As part of our Common Ground commitment, Dentsu and Dentsu Aegis Network have partnered with the United Nations to tackle the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and concentrate efforts on SDG3 Good health and well-being. Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being at all ages is essential for sustainable development.
Since January 2017 we have supported Malaria No More to continue the move towards ending malaria for good. This year has seen the launch of the #malariamustdie campaign, supported by a range of agencies from inside and outside the Dentsu Aegis Network. The overarching goal is to rally the public support for political action on malaria eradication and our industry plays an important role in influencing public attitudes and opinion.
Malaria and you
Tackling malaria should involve all of us. Because ending malaria is critical to achieving the collective ambition of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and represents excellent value for money; every $1 invested in malaria interventions delivers $36 in social and economic benefits. A healthy society and economy requires the good health and well-being of people working and contributing.
That’s why governments, charities and businesses are coming together at the Malaria Summit 2018. The summit will be co-hosted by the Governments of Swaziland and Rwanda and convened by the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The business world will be present too as only together can we unlock the political commitment, financial investment and technological innovation to help reduce malaria cases and deaths.
Because enough is enough. Malaria must die, so millions can live.
