World Malaria Day
April 25, 2010

WHEREAS malaria is the leading killer of children in Africa, taking a child's life every 30 seconds; and,

WHEREAS the United Nations and World Health Organization acknowledge the importance of the need to stop malaria deaths by ensuring universal bed net coverage by the end of 2010, not only as a goal in itself, but as an essential path toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015; and,

WHEREAS Canadian citizens make an immense contribution to improving the quality of life in communities around the world through their efforts as volunteers and supporters of international cooperation and partnership; and

WHEREAS the City of Kingston is committed to international cooperation and partnership to improve the quality of life of all people; and

WHEREAS the designation of Fort Henry in Kingston and the Rideau Canal as a UNESCO World Heritage Destination has a connection to malaria in that 100's of workers died building this infrastructure that is so important to Canadian history and our quality of life; and

WHEREAS established in 2004, "Buy-A-Net Malaria Prevention Group", is Kingston based and Canada's first citizen-driven initiative aimed at saving lives from malaria through advocacy and the procurement and distribution of long lasting insecticide treated bed nets and anti-malaria medicines free-of-charge, one village at a time in Africa; and

WHEREAS the benefits to fighting malaria are immense (more people at work and more children at school, relieving the cycle of poverty) and the risks of inaction too large to ignore (lives lost, health care systems burdened, economic development stymied); and

WHEREAS it takes so little to make a difference; for $6.00, one net can protect up to four people; for $350.00 a village in Africa can be provided with bed nets thereby greatly reducing the incidence of malaria and lives lost;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Mayor Harvey Rosen and City Council recognize April 25th, 2010, as World Malaria Day; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Mayor Harvey Rosen and City Council urge the Canadian Federation of Municipalities to also pass a resolution endorsing the recognition of April 25th, 2010, as World Malaria Day and encourage its members to also recognize World Malaria Day.

DATED at Kingston this 3rd day of March, 2010
Mayor Harvey Rosen