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Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health
Malaria Awareness Day: Leveraging Progress for Future Advances
April 25, 2007
Statement by Rep. Christopher H. Smith

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for calling this hearing to commemorate Malaria Awareness Day.

More than 1 million people die each year from malaria, and it is estimated that 300 to 500 million people suffer from infection. As you know, Mr. Chairman, malaria inflicts a particularly severe toll on the people of Africa. Eighty-five percent of deaths caused by malaria occur in sub-Saharan Africa. It is the major killer of African children. Every 30 seconds, an African mother loses her child to malaria. Africa loses $12 billion of its gross domestic product each year due to the disease, while the disease in turn consumes about 40% of Africa's public health expenditures. And the impact of the malaria is exacerbated by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. These numbers and statistics are staggering, but they have a greater impact when one has been to Africa and met the individuals who must live with the disease.

Anyone who spends any meaningful amount of time in Africa and mingles with the African people will soon notice the prevalence of malaria. When you ask someone whether he or she has ever had malaria, they likely will not respond with a yes but with the time that has passed since they last suffered from it. The sad reality is that malaria can kill. And the even sadder reality is that malaria is preventable and treatable. There is no reason why anyone in the twenty-first century should have to suffer from it.

Today I attended a luncheon at the White House that was held to commemorate Malaria Awareness Day. President Bush reminded those of us who attended that just one century ago, malaria was still a problem here in Washington, D.C., with its hot and humid summers. He noted that members of congress would leave town for months at a time each year to avoid catching it. He then added that there were negative consequences as well. But beyond the humor, he and Mrs. Bush eloquently presented the serious challenge that malaria presents to other parts of our world today, and reiterated the conviction of Americans that every human life everywhere in the world is precious and must be protected.

In giving due credit to the American people, President Bush modestly omitted the credit to which he himself is entitled for establishing the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) in June 2005. This initiative, together with the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, will certainly have a noticeable impact on the health and welfare of Africans. Started with $30 million in Fiscal Year 2006, plus $4.25 million in reprogrammed FY 2005 funds, in the focus countries of Angola, Tanzania and Uganda, it will expand over five years, subject to congressional approval, to an annual budget of $500 million and reach 15 African countries. The PMI strategy is to provide four proven and highly effective malaria prevention and treatment measures: insecticide-treated mosquito nets; indoor residual spraying with insecticides; intermittent preventive treatment for pregnant women; and artemisinin-based combination therapy.

Last year when I was in Uganda, I visited the homes of several people infected with HIV/AIDS. One home in the remote region of Bushenyi struck me in particular. The three-room dwelling of white washed walls and dirt floors was practically empty, which made the insecticide-treated mosquito net over the floor mats all the more striking. These nets may seem like insignificant items when listed on paper, but they are noticeably visible in the modest shelters of those who rely on them for protection from an opportunistic infection.

So we are making a good start with the PMI and with the other multilateral organizations working in partnership with the Initiative. However, I would assert that it is not enough. These efforts are good for reducing the incidence of malaria, but our goal must be eradication. I look forward to hearing the testimony of our distinguished witnesses and exploring means for achieving that goal.