Month: April 2010

We’ll be receiving a special offering for the Nothing But Nets project, which is part of the larger Imagine No Malaria campaign this Sunday. Below are some frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) and answers culled, copied adapted, and edited from umc.org and nothingbutnets.net.

Why are we focused on malaria?
Malaria is a global health problem, affecting more than 500 million and killing more than one million every year. Every 30 seconds, a child dies of malaria. Malaria disproportionately affects young children and pregnant women.

Why Africa?
More than 90 percent of the one million malaria deaths each year occur in sub-Saharan Africa. One in five children who dies before age five will die of malaria. Malaria was eliminated in the United States in the 1950s, but it remains a serious health issue across the globe, particularly in developing African  countries. The United Methodist Church has been operating hospitals and clinics across Africa for more than 160 years, allowing us to reach the most remote areas, providing care and treatment where people need it most.

What is the Nothing But Nets campaign?
Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a leading killer of children in Africa. The people of The United Methodist Church, along with Sports Illustrated, NBA Cares, the United Nations Foundation and several other groups, are raising funds to purchase bed nets to help end malaria.

How Do Bed Nets Save Lives?
Bed nets work in two ways: They stop mosquitoes from biting during the night and spreading the disease, and the insecticide on the net kills mosquitoes when they land on it.

Bed nets prevent malaria transmission by creating a protective barrier against mosquitoes at night, when the vast majority of transmissions occur. Malaria-carrying mosquitoes generally bite between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. A bed net is typically hung above the center of a bed or sleeping space so that it completely covers the sleeping person. One bed net can safely last a family for about four years, thanks to a long-lasting insecticide woven into the net fabric.

A net treated with insecticide offers about twice the protection of an untreated bed net and can reduce the number of mosquitoes that enter the house and inhabit the surrounding areas. Currently, bed nets are treated with pyrethroid insecticides. These insecticides have very low levels of toxicity to humans, but are highly toxic to insects.

The nets purchased and distributed by Nothing But Nets are long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets. They have been approved by the UN World Health Organization (WHO) for safety, quality, and efficacy. These standards ensure that the children and families sleeping under these bed nets won’t get sick from the insecticide woven into the fabric of the net.

How well do the nets work?
Studies show that use of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets can reduce transmission as much as 90 percent in areas with high coverage rates.

What difference does my $10 make?
Every $10 contribution to Nothing But Nets covers the cost of purchasing a long-lasting insecticide-treated bed net, distributing it, and educating communities on its use.

Why Should I Get Involved?
The children of Africa need you to help stop the spread of this disease. There are many different ways to prevent malaria. Bed nets, vaccinations, insecticide spraying and water treatment are important tools. Purchasing bed nets is an easy way for individuals to make a difference in combating this disease. At this time, no consistently effective malaria vaccine exists. Plasmodium, the parasite that carries the disease, changes rapidly and can become drug resistant.

Can we really Eliminate Malaria?
Yes. The world already possesses the treatment and preventative measures to eliminate deaths from malaria. Working with a Christ-like compassion, 11.5 million United Methodists are opening doors to those who need it most.