Following  series of reports portraying the nature of malaria in Africa, more so in the sub Saharan Africa, Standard Chartered Bank Gambia could not wait to partner with the rest of the world to help reduce the problem of malaria by providing the tools available in the Third World countries to help minimise the deadly pandemic in Africa.

As part of celebrations marking World Malaria Day and the set objectives made by Standard Chartered Bank to tackle malaria in The Gambia and Africa at large, the bank last Saturday 25th April visited SOS Children’s Village where they donated one hundred Insecticide Treated bed nets and a hundred mosquito repellent sprays.

As a leading financial institution in The Gambia that helps to lend support to the economy, the bank also deems it necessary to engage in other partnership programmes which provide for the past two consecutive years over D220, 000 yearly, as contribution to the SOS Children’s Village.

In his statement on the occasion, Humphrey Mukwereza, CEO Standard Chartered Bank, revealed that the bank is committed to distributing one million long lasting insecticide treated bednets in Africa by the end of 2009, and institutionalising malaria education where it is needed most.

He posited that over 80 staff of the bank collaborated with the National Malaria Control Programme to contribute 100 insecticide treated bed nets and 100 bottles of mosquito repellent sprays.

Speaking on behalf of the Regional Health Director, Western Region, Mr Juma Jallow informed the gathering that malaria is associated with major complications among children under five years and pregnant women. “The most common and most important complications of the infection in children and pregnant women include cerebral malaria, severe anaemia, respiratory distress, hypoglycaemia, low birth weight, abortions, still and premature deliveries among others,” he said.

Mr. Jallow reckoned that malaria causes 15% of maternal anaemia and about 35% of preventable low birth weight.