Lagos — The World Bank has unveiled plans to provide an additional US$300 million in International Development Association (IDA) funding to expand Nigeria's efforts to control malaria.

Combined with Nigeria's initial 'Malaria Plus' package of US$180 million (approved in 2006), the bank's support to Nigeria is expected to approach US$500 million, which would make it the largest single-country malaria control investment in the bank's history.

According to a news release made available to PANA, the global financial group's Managing Director, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, made the announcement Saturday at the One World against Malaria Summit in Washington DC.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa'adu Abubakar; Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, capital city, John Onaiyekan; Minister of Health, Babatunde Osotimehin; and National Malaria Control Programme Coordinator, T.O. Sofola, also participated in the launch.

The new financing is in response to a request from the government of Nigeria as it seeks to accelerate progress towards the ambitious target set last year by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

The aggressive target, established last year on World Malaria Day, called for everyone who needs malaria protection to have it by the end of 2010. US$100 million of the US$300 million request is on a fast track for consideration by the World Bank's Board of Executive Directors in June 2009.

The new support will help close remaining gaps for net distribution, malaria treatment, diagnostics, awareness-raising, behaviour change communication and engagement of grassroots organisations in the fight.

This year's World Malaria Day marks a critical milestone, as countries and the global malaria community have less than two years left before the 2010 target for delivering effective and affordable protection and treatment to all people at risk of malaria.

Okonjo-Iweala noted that "the battle has intensified, building on the tremendous progress made in the last three years. We need to ensure that the next three years will witness even more successes. Mobilising all stakeholders, including faith-based organisations, will be critical to winning this fight."

The intensified fight against malaria takes place in the midst of a global economic crisis expected to have severe impacts on Africa. With Africa's economic growth slowing, reducing the growth penalty imposed by malaria is more important than ever.

New estimates for 2009 suggest that lower economic growth rates will trap 46 million more people in extreme poverty (GDP per capita of less than US$1.25 a day) than was expected prior to the crisis. Poverty and health are inextricably linked; and solving Africa's malaria problem can help keep millions of Africans from falling even further into poverty.

In these difficult times, predictable and adequate levels of funding will be critical. Unless countries massively scale up their malaria control programmes, they will not be able to sharply reduce the number of malaria-related deaths and illness that afflict their communities each year.

World Bank Africa Region Vice President, Obiageli Ezekwesili, pointed out at an earlier meeting that "we have before us an extraordinary window of opportunity to improve the future prospects for millions of people in Africa. "This opportunity may not come again. We have an obligation to turn the current momentum into concrete results, to help Africa defeat malaria," she said.

The bank is working closely with countries, partners and organisations on the ground to ensure that efforts and resources are sufficient and coordinated and that accountability mechanisms are in place and functioning.

These funds will help alleviate the crushing burden malaria places on the country's families and health system. Nigeria has long worked with civil society and the private sector on malaria control.

A more intense effort to allow for coordinated participation of the already-involved faith-based community was launched at the Saturday summit.

The launch event was organised by the office of the UN Special Envoy for Malaria and the Centre for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty. The Booster Programme for Malaria Con-trol in Africa was launched in 2005 as a ten-year effort to reaffirm the bank's commitment to malaria control and help Africa meet its development goals.

During Phase I of the booster programme, the bank committed US$468.7 million in IDA support and trust funds. In September 2008, World Bank President, Robert Zoellick, announced a new commitment of up to US$1.1 billion, depending on country demand, for Phase II of the Booster Programme.

Nigeria will be the first country to benefit from this significant programme expansion. The World Bank is also providing US$250 million to India for a five-year malaria control and Kala-azar elimination project. The Booster Programme has contributed to some of the biggest successes at the country level.