Health: Un 'to Miss' Malaria Target

The UN's Millennium Development Goal to halt and reverse the increase in malaria by 2015 is unlikely to be met despite there being more funding than ever before, according to a detailed scientific analysis of where international funding is spent.

The analysis by the Kenya Medical Research Institute in Nairobi found that the global spend on malaria prevention of around $1bn (£500m) per year is 50% to 450% below what is required. Annual funding for malaria control amounted to $1bn in 2007 or less than $1 per person at risk. But Prof Robert Snow of the Institute says it's known that the bare minimum needed is $4.

The study also found that funding was not spread evenly, with some countries receiving far less per person at risk of the disease than others, with Burma receiving around one cent per person at risk while Suriname in south America spent $147.

The sixth of the UN's eight Millennium Development Goals is to halt and reverse the spread of HIV, malaria and other major diseases by 2015, but Snow said that much more money would be needed to achieve the goal.