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On Malaria, HIV/AIDS, and Tuberculosis
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Nigeria's Government Has Dropped the Ball
by
Stephen St. Denis
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Malaria causes over 2.7 million deaths annually, making it along with HIV/AIDS, and Tuberculosis (TB), one of the
major public health challenges undermining development in Africa. Malaria is the leading cause of child mortality
in Africa and those who survive often have learning impairments and brain damage in acute cases. In addition, malaria
puts pregnant women at high risk. All of this puts an enormous strain on a country's health care system.
In April 2000 almost every African nation signed the Abuja Declaration, promising to waive or reduce tariffs and
taxes on mosquito nets and anti-malarial drugs. In addition, the Declaration endorsed the Rollback Malaria Campaign's
goal to halve the number of cases by 2010.
Since then, 17 countries have honoured their promises made at Abuja. However, 26 countries, including your Nigeria, have yet to reduce
or eliminate the tariffs and taxes, which can increase the cost of the nets by 40% or more in some cases. This
may mean the difference between a family being able to afford the nets or not; in other words the difference between
life and death.
At last year's G8 Summit, Canada and other G8 leaders announced their support for a unique proposal by African
leaders for the renewal of their continent known as NEPAD. Under this new partnership framework developed countries
agreed to increase foreign aid to countries that met certain conditions, one of those conditions being giving a
higher priority to meeting the basic human needs of their citizens.
Canada has budgeted an additional $500 million in foreign aid to African countries over the next three years. Investing
part of that new money to fight malaria would be a wise investment, but Nigeria must do its part as well.
Stephen St. Denis
Ottawa, Canada
On Malaris, HIV/AIDS, and
Tuberculosis: Nigeria's Government has Dropped the Ball
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