Help in protecting children from malaria

With the holidays approaching, it is the perfect time to start thinking about and giving to others in the world who are not able to have a healthy new year because they are stricken by malaria.

Malaria is a problem in 90 countries. More than a million lives are claimed by it every year. Every 30 seconds, another child dies from this disease.

The good news is that malaria is preventable and curable, if the right supplies are available. Insecticide-treated bed nets have been proven to cut the number of malaria cases by 35 percent. Spraying insecticide also keeps away mosquitoes, the carriers.

There are private organizations that supply these things to needy countries. Such organizations rely on donations to support their work.

The Internet makes it easier than ever to donate. See websites such as www.nothingbutnets.net, www.cdcfoundation.org and www.seattlebiomed.org.

For as little as $5, a child can be protected with a bed net.

Abby Rubsam

Cedar Rapids