Durban, South Africa — The prevalence of malaria in the Lubombo spatial development initiative (SDI) area where KwaZulu-Natal, Mozambique and Swaziland share their borders, has dropped dramatically in the past two years.

The disease has been reduced by 91 percent in KwaZulu-Natal, 70 percent in Mozambique and 64 percent in Swaziland.

"It has been recognised that malaria can no longer be treated as a country-specific problem but should be addressed at a regional level," says Brian Sharp of the Medical Research Council.

The South African, Mozambique and Swaziland governments have targeted the Lubombo SDI area for massive infrastructure and tourism development to create a globally competitive economic zone.

One of the first priorities of the Lubombo SDI is to dramatically reduce the prevalence of malaria within a five-year time frame, starting in 2000.

The aim is to reduce the prevalence of the disease on the Mozambican side of the SDI from 600 per 1 000 to less than 20 per 1 000. The goal in Swaziland and South Africa is to bring the prevalence down from 250 per 1 000 to 5 per 1 000.

"Already in certain areas in Mozambique, the prevalence of the disease has been reduced to less than 20 percent so in part attaining the five-year objective of the programme after only two years," said Sharp.

Malaria contributes significantly to sustained poverty for 40 percent of the world's population.