Oral Answers to Questions — International Development – in the House of Commons am 11:30 am ar 3 Mawrth 2010.
What steps his Department is taking to control malaria in developing countries.
The United Kingdom remains strongly committed to tackling malaria. That was why the Prime Minister committed in 2008 to providing more than 20 million bed nets by the end of 2010 and to helping to prevent 110,00 child deaths. Our 2009 White Paper committed to providing an additional 10 million bed nets each year to 2013.
Will the Minister take the opportunity to study the report-endorsed by Margaret Chan, the head of the WHO-by the all-party group on malaria and neglected tropical diseases that was given to his office last week? It includes recommendations that would cut short the process of getting to the strategic plan on malaria which my hon. Friend Mr. Mitchell urged the Department to adopt and which I would support.
I have indeed read the report to which the hon. Gentleman refers, and I congratulate him on his work as chairman of the group. Let me tell the House what he wrote in his foreword to the document:
"The highlights of this report are easily summarised...We're making progress in malaria control at a faster rate than ever before...We have good tools which can prevent and treat malaria...Political will is strong and funding is better than ever before."