§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what target the Government have set for combating malaria; what additional resources have been allocated to meet this target; and if she will make a statement.[136971]
§ Clare ShortThe United Kingdom is strongly supporting the World Health Organisation (WHO) led Roll Back Malaria (RBM) initiative to achieve the goal of reducing the malaria burden by half by 2010. The RBM initiative provides the vehicle for concerted action by partners, especially in Africa, to deliver more widely the benefits of currently available methods of malaria control to the poorest. Overall UK developmental programme spending on malaria control activities increased to over £19 million in 1999–2000 and is set to increase further. We have contributed £12 million to WHO RBM this year alone. The UK is also supporting public-private partnerships to develop the new generation of affordable drugs required for malaria control in developing countries, both by direct funding to WHO for the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) initiative, the Lapdap product development programme and the Malarone donation.