Nothing But Nets Campaign Aims to Fight Malaria in Africa (2/2)

Nothing But Nets was launched two years ago after sports writer Rick Reilly wrote about malaria in Sports Illustrated magazine. He urged his readers to donate money to the United Nations Foundation for its efforts to buy treated bed nets.

Since then, the campaign has raised more than twenty million dollars. The National Basketball Association, the United Methodist Church and other groups have joined the campaign.

So far, the campaign says it has supplied more than seven hundred thousand nets to children and their families in Africa. The executive director says parts of Africa will have received more than two million nets by the end of this year. Nigeria, the Central African Republic, Gabon, Ethiopia and Ivory Coast have already received supplies.

The Web site nothingbutnets.net points out that a net treated with insecticide offers about twice the protection of an untreated net. When enough houses have treated nets, the combined effect can make a whole community safer from mosquitoes.

The campaign is also involved in efforts to vaccinate African children against measles and polio. Elizabeth McKee Gore says she hopes that in time, Nothing But Nets can also direct its efforts to other parts of the world.