Relate Bracelets, Goodbye Malaria Zero in on the Deadly Disease in Southern Africa

 

The 25th of April is World Malaria Day and this year we look at the successful partnership between Relate Bracelets and Goodbye Malaria.

 

South Africa (23 April 2021) – With World Malaria Day upon us, the good news is that a growing number of countries have succeeded in drastically reducing or even eliminating malaria. But the battle is far from won, with hundreds of thousands of people still losing their lives to the disease every year.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 26 of the total 87 countries with malaria reported fewer than 10 000 cases of the disease in 2020, a significant improvement on the 46 from 2019. By the end of 2020, 24 countries had reported interrupting malaria transmission for three years or more. Of these, 11 were certified malaria-free.

COVID-19 emerged as a serious challenge to malaria responses worldwide. Since the early days of the pandemic, the WHO specifically urged countries to maintain essential health services, including for malaria, while ensuring that communities and health workers were protected from COVID-19 transmission.

Sherwin Charles, CEO and co-founder of Goodbye Malaria, remains optimistic about the organisation’s target of eliminating malaria in Mozambique by 2030, but warns that regular investment by authorities is needed in order to eliminate the disease. Goodbye Malaria has been spearheading the eradication of malaria for the past nine years, in alliance with health and government organisations, celebrities, individuals and prominent sports teams.

Relate Bracelets works in partnership with Goodbye Malaria to raise much-needed funds for elimination efforts in southern Africa. Since 2009, sales of the handmade beaded bracelets in support of this cause have raised R11.6 million towards tackling the disease.

Relate CEO Neil Robinson says that this key contribution to the Goodbye Malaria partnership has provided numerous ongoing job opportunities and social upliftment for South Africans from disadvantaged communities.