Rotary International President Gordon McInally recently announced that in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and World Vision, Rotary is launching the Rotary Healthy Communities Challenge.This initiative will provide $30 million to combat malaria, diarrheal diseases, and respiratory infections. These afflictions are the leading causes of death among children under five years old in four Sub-Saharan African countries: Zambia, Nigeria, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that last year 247 million people in 84 countries were infected and 619,000 of those infected died. During the years before Covid, there were about 400,000 victims per year. The victims are mainly children below 5 years old and pregnant women. 95% of all infections and deaths are in regions of Africa between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
PDG Claudia Frost recently joined the efforts to eliminate malaria and serves as Chair of the Education and Information Committee of the Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM) Global Rotary Action Group (RAG). Claudia’s interest in malaria comes from Rotary trips to three African countries: Nigeria, Zambia and Kenya.
District 7780 has an opportunity to access some of the funding for RAM-Global through the Rotary Healthy Communities Challenge. Clubs that can contribute smaller amounts are encouraged to step up and join the effort. A good start is at the website for RAM-Global: www.ram-global.org.
All Rotarians are welcome to join this Rotary Action Group to learn more about the initiative and to join in the fight to eliminate malaria. She would be happy to speak to individuals, Rotary Club Boards or present to clubs. (Reach out to Education via info@RAM-Global.org to make arrangements for presentations)
PDG Claudia Frost
2023-2024 Education Chair
