World Malaria Day 2008

On World Malaria Day 2008 action medeor as the lead agency of Stop Malaria Now! organised a malaria awareness-raising event in Cologne.

The theme of the first World Malaria Day: Malaria - a disease without borders was picked up through "music and message". 

The African-Caribbean Band Fulani and the Samba Percussion Band Choco Branco performed to raise awareness about malaria.

People concerned about malaria, malaria experts such as Christoph Bonsman, action medeor and Athuman Chiguzo, KeNAAM and political decision makers such as Dr. Karl Addicks, MP informed the audience about malaria as a global health and development problem.

In addition to that Eine Welt Netz NRW informed about malaria with games and other activities.

World Malaria Day

In 2008 the 25 April was officially commemorated as World Malaria Day for the first time. World Malaria Day shall be commemorated annually on 25 April in order to provide information on and raise awareness of malaria as a global scourge that is preventable and a disease that is curable.

In 2007 the Assembly of the World Health Organisation agreed that awareness of malaria as a global problem needs to be increased. This was an important step in recognising that malaria has to be addressed as a global challenge.

The World Malaria Day replaces the Africa Malaria Day established by African leaders from 44 malaria-endemic countries at the first-ever African Summit on Malaria in Abuja, Nigeria, in 2000. Since 2001 the Africa Malaria Day was commemorated on 25 April to highlight the gravity of the malaria situation on the continent.

All countries are invited to reaffirm their commitment to reduce the burden of the disease on World Malaria Day. Communities across the world are encouraged to get involved in the fight against malaria.