IIMSAM Middle East Office Marked World Malaria Day

Top Quote IIMSAM Middle East Director & Goodwill Ambassador Dr. Naseer Homoud marked World Malaria Day. He appealed world community and stakeholders to get Malaria eliminated for the sake of accomplishing United Nations Millennium Development Goals. End Quote
  • (1888PressRelease) April 25, 2011 - Marking the World Malaria Day Dr. Naseer Homoud Goodwill Ambassador and Director of Middle East office for the Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Micro-algae Spirulina against Malnutrition (IIMSAM), the Permanent Observer to the United Nations Economic and Social Council said "we may be fortunate enough to live in a country in which the deadly disease has been eradicated. But there are still 109 countries in four global regions that are considered malarious, primarily located in the continents of Africa and Asia. Each year, malaria takes the lives of nearly a million people, and sickens half a billion more. It is indeed sad to note that a child dies from malaria every 30 seconds". He further urged "World Malaria Day is an opportunity to remind the world that though progress has been made in malaria control, this ancient disease remains a threat to humanity. It is high time to increase our effort and work together to vanquish malaria once and for all."

    Malaria continues to have a huge impact today, particularly on the world's most vulnerable. According to the World Malaria Report 2009, there were 243 million people suffering from malaria in 2008 and nearly 863,000 people died as a result of the disease. Malaria can have particularly severe impacts on maternal and child health. "World Malaria Day provides an important reminder that more needs to be done to eliminate the basic causes of poor health in the Asia Pacific region. In the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, Malaria incidence is among the highest in the world outside of Africa," said Dr. Homoud.

    The global community faces a pivotal year in 2011 in a campaign to eliminate malaria as a major health challenge by 2015 in most of the countries where the disease is endemic. Financial resources needed to meet this internationally agreed goal must be secured this year for this target to be met. "Investments in malaria prevention and control have been among the best investments in global health, resulting in a dramatic decrease in malaria deaths and illness. If adequate financial resources are secured, world could further scale up our efforts and malaria could be eliminated as a public health problem in most malaria-endemic countries by 2015", said Dr. Homoud. He went on to say "it is well understood that reducing the impact of malaria would be highly significant in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. But to do so, we need to address the social, economic, environmental and behavioral factors that contribute to the disease's occurrence and its impact".

    "On this Malaria Day, let us resolve to strengthen our commitment to rid Africa of malaria by expanding proven approaches and interventions until they reach each and every child and pregnant woman who needs them. The prize in reducing the intolerable burden of malaria in Africa will be not only be healthier mothers and children, but also a chance for the poorest of the poor to benefit from greater socioeconomic development", said Dr. Homoud. He went on to say "we can make our earth malaria free but people require having proper health education so that the people who don't know how to prevent them from malaria can take needed steps to get rid of malaria".

    Outlining benefits of Spirulina in fighting Malaria Dr. Homoud said that Spirulina can be used in humanitarian emergencies such as Malaria and it can be taken directly from the packet, it does not require refrigeration or mixing with scarce clean water, it can be stored for years, and can be smoothly consumed by critically ill children. Spreading its use can prevent diseases like cancer, hay fever, herpes infection, high cholesterol, hives, HIV infection, liver protection, weight loss, tissue degeneration, negative mutations, high urine radioactivity, zinc deficiency diseases, obesity, oral cancer, hypo chronic anemia, malaria, diabetes, etc. "The immediate task before us is to remove effectively the concerns like hunger and malnutrition because of the rapidly increasing mortality rate due to malnutrition and hunger. Spreading Spirulina will reduce significantly the hunger and malnutrition which ultimately will lead to peace, stability and development, paving better than the existing ways to the progressive evolution of humanity on global patterns. The world cannot achieve progress without curbing these evils and Spirulina is the most effective weapon for that", said Dr. Homoud.

    He further call upon the government, individuals and organizations to support IIMSAM which has undertaken several projects of production and distribution of Spirulina to the needy peoples under guidance of His Excellency Ambassador Remigio M. Maradona Secretary General of the IIMSAM in pursuit of its goal to make this world free of malnutrition. "The spread and use of Spirulina in fighting deadly disease like Malaria is unquestionable, making it the most important dietary element in poverty reduction, ecological growth as well as livelihood development. Spreading its use is the best way to end malnutrition in the societies where hunger and poverty are prevalent to an extreme extent". Dr. Homoud said.

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