¡¡¡¡¡¡ADDIS ABABA, April 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Malaria is still a major public health problem in Ethiopia despite the more than four-decade experience of prevention, a senior Ethiopian official said here Wednesday.

¡¡¡¡Alemayehu Seifu, head of the Diseases Prevention and Control Department of the Ethiopian Health Ministry, said malaria ranked first among the top 10 in the causes of outpatient morbidity and admission into hospitals.

¡¡¡¡He made the remark here at the opening of an event organized inconnection with Africa Malaria Day, which would be commemorated onApril 25, 2003.

¡¡¡¡More than 40 million people are reportedly estimated to be at risk of malaria with more than five million estimated cases occurring annually.

¡¡¡¡Alemayehu noted that the Ethiopian government has renewed its commitment to prevent and control the disease by adopting global Roll Back Malaria initiative, which aims at reducing malaria burden by 50 percent in the year 2010.

¡¡¡¡A project proposal was also developed and sent to Global Fund to access fund for fighting HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, he said, adding more than 37 million US dollars was in pipeline to be approved for year 2003-2004 for malaria control component.

¡¡¡¡It was reported that the ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund has distributed more than 800,000 insecticide treated mosquito nets in malaria-prone areas of the country.

¡¡¡¡April 25 is the Africa Malaria Day following the Abuja Declaration by heads of State and Government of 44 malaria affected African countries on April 25, 2000.

¡¡¡¡The theme for this year Africa Malaria Day is "Insecticide Treated Nets and Effective Treatment for Pregnant Women and Young Children by 2005". Enditem

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