Why Malaria? Why Now?

Why malaria? For me, it is personal. My father, Robert Kanavel, is one of the original Skeeter Beaters who served in the South Pacific in WWII. He was part of a pioneering effort by the U.S. Navy which reduced casualties from malaria by 98%. He contracted malaria in the process. To me, it was an interesting story. His story. History.

I was looking online for information on the Skeeter Beaters, and I stumbled upon a book by Dennis Cline. My father's face was among those on the cover photo. I contacted Dennis, founder of The Skeeter Beaters Foundation, and he opened my eyes to the very real problem of malaria in the 21st century.

Malaria isn't history. According to the 2008 World Malaria Report published by the World Health Organization, an estimated 247 million cases of malaria caused an estimated 881,000 deaths in 2006, primarily in children under the age of five. WHO concedes that these figures are not exact and could be much higher. To put it in perspective, in July 2008, there were not quite 304 million people in the United States. For additional perspective, watch this video from Against Malaria. It is well worth a minute of your time.

Why malaria? Malaria kills. Malaria is preventable. Malaria is treatable. Because malaria is only one of several deadly diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, malaria prevention efforts can reap multiple benefits.

Why now? The clock is ticking. Rising global temperatures are expanding the areas in which malaria-causing mosquitoes can thrive. In some parts of the world, the disease appears to be developing a resistance to the best anti-malarial drugs. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), mosquitoes can develop insecticide resistance very quickly. And while we wait, more children die of malaria. One child every 42 seconds is a conservative estimate.

Why fight malaria? Why now? Because we can. Because we must.