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First the bad news. As you may already know, malaria kills 1 million people a year in Africa, mostly children under the age of 5. Sadly, the cause of the disease has been known since the 19th century. Prevention of and treatment for the disease is widely available for those in the developed world.

Nevertheless, the Center for Disease and Control Prevention says 350-500 million cases of malaria occur each year worldwide, making it one of the deadliest diseases in underdeveloped parts of the world.

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And now the good news! A World Bank-sponsored forum recently announced the creation of a new global fund to subsidize the purchase of a new generation of anti-malaria drugs for Africa.

According to the Associated Press,

The drugs, Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies, or ACTs, are meant to replace chloroquine and other old generation drugs sold in Africa and Southeast Asia… which have become ineffective.

Olusoji Adeyi, the World Bank’s coordinator of public health programs, said it took 18 months of discussions to reach a broad agreement on the need for the subsidy. The plan will work in tandem with the bank’s malaria-prevention programs to provide mosquito nets and insecticide to affected areas.

Hopefully the coordination of additional money and resources will bring relief to the millions in Africa who suffer so needlessly from this disease.

To find out what you can do to help malaria victims around the world, visit World Vision’s Global Emporium where a small $20 investment can provide malaria care for a whole family in Africa.

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