- Malaria is a leading cause of child mortality in the developing-world.1
- Interventions to reduce deaths from malaria (such as insecticide-treated nets) are proven and cost-effective (more below).
- We recommend 3 organizations working on malaria: Against Malaria Foundation, Population Services International, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
How do charities address malaria?
The two programs in the table below have been proven to reduce death and suffering from malaria (under the right conditions):
| Program | How it works | Cost | More information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) | Hung over windows or beds, nets kill or repel mosquitoes, reducing the risk of infection | Approximately $200-$1,100 per life saved and 300 non-fatal episodes averted | In-depth evidence review |
| Drug treatment | Antimalarial drugs are highly effective in curing malaria | We have not found a reliable estimate | In-depth evidence review |
What are the challenges of finding a great malaria charity?
While we think that malaria is an area in which donors can do a lot of good, we don't think you can assume that every charity working in this area is consistently and cost-effectively saving lives.
In the case of insecticide-treated nets, nets may not reach children and pregnant women in high-risk areas, who are most in need of them, or those who receive them may not use them properly.2 Donors should ask charities to demonstrate that the nets they distribute are used properly by at-risk populations.
Donors should also be aware that while ITNs are a highly cost-effective way to save lives, charities' claims of the low cost of saving a life with an net can be overblown.3 $10 may buy and distribute a net, but not every child who sleeps under a net would have died otherwise, and even properly used nets do not offer 100% protection.
Where should you donate to fight malaria?
We recommend these charities, in the following order, for donors interested in using their donation to fight malaria:
- Against Malaria Foundation, which distributes insecticide-treated nets. AMF is extremely transparent, publishing the status of each distribution on its website. For more, see our full review of the AMF.
- Population Services International, which runs programs to distribute insecticide-treated nets and treat malaria. PSI is more transparent and results-driven than comparable charities. For more, see our full review of PSI.
- Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria, which funds of a wide variety of programs to combat HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, including supporting both ITN distribution and medicine to treat malaria. GFATM's commitment to transparency is outstanding, and most of its activities have strong evidence bases. For more, see our full review of GFATM.
- 1.
See list of leading causes of death (2004).
- 2.
- One study from Kenya found that adults were more likely to sleep under nets, despite the fact that children are more at risk for illness and death from malaria: "In univariate analysis, percentage adherence did not vary by year (75.3% in 1997 versus 69.4% in 1998; P = 0.21), but did vary significantly by age group (65.9% for those <5 years old versus 74.0% for those >=5 years old; P = 0.0062)." Alaii, Jane A., et al. 2003. Factors affecting use of permethrin-treated bed nets during a randomized controlled trial in western Kenya (PDF). Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 68(4 suppl): 137-141.
- Another study found that "a considerably large number of bed nets were used for drying fish and fishing in the study area adjacent to Lake Victoria." Manikawa, Noboru, et al. Unforeseen misuses of bed nets in fishing villages along Lake Victoria (PDF). Malaria Journal 7 (2008): 168.
- 3.
Examples:
- Nothing But Nets claims on its website that if people buy a Nothing But Nets t-shirt or hat, "Ten dollars from every purchase will send a net and save a life of a child in Africa." (Nothing But Nets. It's Easy to Help. http://www.nothingbutnets.net/its-easy-to-help/ (accessed April 29, 2010). Screenshot available at http://www.givewell.net/files/ExternalWebsites/NothingButNets/easytohelp....)
- Fox Soccer Channel donates $10 to Malaria No More for every goal scored in a campaign called "Every Goal Saves a Life." (Fox Sports. Every Goal Saves a Life. http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/nomalaria (accessed April 29, 2010). PDF "snapshot" available at http://www.givewell.org/files/ExternalWebsites/foxsports.pdf
