The number of insecticide-treated nets distributed by programs supported by the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has increased to 46 million so far this year -- a 155% increase from the 18 million families that received ITNs in 2006 -- Global Fund Executive Director Michel Kazatchkine said on Tuesday, AFP/Google.com reports (AFP/Google.com, 11/27). According to a Global Fund release, recently published studies indicate that ITNs in combination with malaria drugs can reduce transmission of the disease by up to 90% in areas with high coverage rates (Global Fund release, 11/27).

"We are on the right path -- not the definitive eradication of malaria -- but in any case the removal of malaria as a big problem of public health in numerous endemic countries in the next years," Kazatchkine said, adding, "We are showing the feasibility of these interventions, and I am fairly confident that in a medium term of three to five years we could have a truly wide coverage" (Nebehay, Reuters, 11/27). According to AFP/Google.com, the Global Fund also has provided funding to provide about 44 million people with access to effective malaria drugs this year (AFP/Google.com, 11/27).

According to Kazatchkine, many countries worldwide have achieved a 60% ITN coverage rate for families. He added that malaria deaths and cases among children and pregnant women can be reduced significantly in countries that reach this target (Schlein, VOA News, 11/27). A recent study in Zanzibar indicated that ITNs and effective drugs reduced malaria cases by up to 90% in areas with high coverage, according to Kazatchkine (AFP/Google.com). He added that in southern parts of Zambia, the country recorded a 90% decrease in malaria deaths between 2001 and 2006. In addition, there has been a 70% decrease in the number of malaria cases since 2001 in Eritrea, Kazatchkine said, adding that in a few districts in Tanzania where ITNs and artemisinin-based combination therapies are widely distributed, the number of deaths among children younger than age five has decreased by more than 50% (VOA News, 11/27). This year, Ethiopia delivered 9.4 million ITNs to people in malaria-endemic areas -- an increase from 2.5 million in 2006. Kenya and Rwanda also increased ITN distribution with 3.3 million and 2.4 million, respectively, distributed this year (Global Fund release, 11/27).

Despite improvements in ITN distribution, more than one million people die annually from malaria, and access to ITNs in some parts of Africa -- including Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo -- is still low, according to Kazatchkine (VOA News, 11/27). Awa Marie Coll-Seck, executive director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, said the numbers are "very positive" and that ITNs are "one of the key tools to prevent malaria and it is important that everybody living in malaria endemic regions has access to one" (AFP/Google.com, 11/27).