"Malaria: Blood, Sweat, and Tears"

Malaria exhibition depicts progress and challenges to meeting the Millennium Development Goals

United Nations, New York 15 March – 5 May 2010

New York, 15 March 2010. A multi-media exhibition illustrating the impact of malaria opens this week in the Secretariat Gallery of the United Nation’s Headquarters in New York. More than 50 images by internationally acclaimed photographer Adam Nadel accompanied by personal stories of malaria sufferers and malaria experts from all over the world describe the challenges involved in tackling malaria and the contribution malaria is making to meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

Malaria kills more than 860, 000 people a year - mainly women and children. Half of the world’s population - some 3.3 billion people in 109 countries - is at risk of malaria. Africa bears the greatest burden - with 90% of all deaths occurring in 44 countries south of the Sahara.

Since 2003 funding for malaria control has reached unprecedented levels, enabling countries to scale up the distribution of effective malaria treatments, long-lasting insecticide mosquito nets and spraying the inside of dwellings with insecticide. However, although almost US$2 billion is available to tackle malaria - it falls short of the approximate US$5 billion required annually to achieve Universal Coverage with all prevention and treatment tools.

"We are proud of this excellent portrayal of the fight against malaria. It is the people – the men, women and children - in these pictures that tell the story and show us what can be achieved. Countries are making progress and saving lives. This exhibition is a testament to their commitment and courage." Said Sunil Mehra, Executive Director of the Malaria Consortium.

Produced and conceived by the UK based international charity Malaria Consortium and award winning photographer Adam Nadel, with the generous support of the European based health commodity producer Vestergaard Frandsen S.A, under the umbrella of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, the exhibition will provide the focus of events in New York to mark this year’s World Malaria Day on and around 25 April.

"We have five years to reach the Millennium Development Goals – this includes achieving a reduction in malaria deaths of 75%, significantly improving maternal and child health, and increasing a child's chances of a decent education. We have evidence that it can be done. What we need now is the global commitment that it will be done," said the Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, Dr Awa Marie Coll-Seck.

Nadel travelled to malaria endemic countries, including Nigeria, Uganda and Cambodia, to meet the communities living with malaria and build up his portfolio of images. The collection provides information on all aspects of malaria - from the history to the science - and captures the new positive outlook as a result of recent progress made in reducing malaria deaths in some African countries by over 50%.

"Before this project, I had worked extensively in a number of endemic countries, studied the malaria statistics - I had even had malaria once. But once in the field, it was impossible to escape the devastation malaria causes and the simplicity of the solutions. It defies comprehension. So I started small, with portraits of individual people and their stories. These stories, that weave a larger, global, narrative about malaria, are about horrific loss but also about hope and the determination of the human spirit," says Adam Nadel.

"World Malaria Day provides an opportunity for the public health community and donors to reflect upon global progress toward malaria control and the MDG goals," observed Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, CEO of the Group, Vestergaard Frandsen, S.A. "However, we should never forget the human toll this preventable disease takes on people, and Adam's images capture these stories in a very compelling exhibit. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with him, Malaria Consortium, and RBM."

The exhibition will be launched officially on 21st April in the United Nations Secretariat Gallery, the United Nations, and New York. For more information please contact: Hervé Verhoosel + 1 212 963 6003

About the Malaria Consortium

Malaria Consortium is the world's leading non-profit organisation dedicated to the comprehensive control of malaria, as well as other childhood illnesses and neglected tropical diseases in Africa and Asia. The organisation works to improve not only the health of the individual, but also the capacity of national health systems, which contributes towards poverty relief and improved economic prosperity. Malaria Consortium uses research and innovation to expand the impact of malaria programmes so that people can benefit even in the most challenging environments. The organisation works closely with government, national and international partners to expand the scope, efficacy and sustainability of its activities, applying unparalleled depth of technical expertise and practical experience to develop smarter solutions that improve and save lives.

About Vestergaard Frandsen

Vestergaard Frandsen is a European company specializing in complex emergency response and disease-control products. The company operates under a unique Humanitarian Entrepreneurship business model. This “profit for a purpose” approach has turned humanitarian responsibility into its core business. Vestergaard Frandsen was founded in 1957 and has evolved into a multinational leader focused on helping to achieve the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. For more information please visit www.vestergaard-frandsen.com

About Roll Back Malaria Partnership

The Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership is the global framework for coordinated action against malaria. It provides a neutral platform for consensus-building and developing solutions to challenges in the implementation of malaria control interventions and strategies. RBM is a public-private partnership which also facilitates the incubation of new ideas and lends support to innovative approaches. The Partnership promotes high-level political commitment and keeps malaria high on the global agenda by enabling, harmonizing and amplifying partner-driven advocacy initiatives. Founded by UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank and UNDP and strengthened by the expertise, resources and commitment of more than 500 Partner organizations, the Partnership secures policy guidance and financial and technical support for control efforts in countries and monitors progress towards universal goals.

Media Contacts:

Herve Verhoosel
External Relations Manager
Roll Back Malaria Partnership (Secretariat)
WHO Office at the United Nations
Direct : + 1 212 963 6003
verhooselh@who.int
http://www.rollbackmalaria.org

Diana Thomas
Media and Communications Manager
Malaria Consortium International
Tel: +44 (0)20 7549 0254
d.thomas@malariaconsortium.org
http://www.malariaconsortium.org

Peter Cleary
Communications and Public Relations Director
Vestergaard Frandsen Inc.
Office: + 1 212-984-1026 | Mobile: +1 347-653-5857
Email: pc@vestergaard-frandsen.com
www.vestergaard-frandsen.com