UN calls for more efforts to curb malaria deaths (2)

Many nets however are reaching the end of their useful life and must be replaced. Countries that had already reduced their malaria burdens by up to 50 percent can quickly detect increased cases and deaths due to malaria if old, worn-out nets are not replaced.

From 2000 to 2010, the proportion of children sleeping under an insecticide-treated net in sub-Saharan Africa grew from less than 5 percent to over a third.

But global procurement of long-lasting insecticidal nets has dropped by 52 percent against an annual target requirement of 150 million. Such a slowdown risks gravely undermining the gains to date.

"We have made considerable progress in this fight, but cannot take our eyes off the goal of reducing malaria cases and deaths to zero. We must make sure that countries have the funding they need for malaria control and use it to protect their children and expectant mothers," Alipui said.

Until recently limited competition among producers meant that they were too expensive to scale up. However, by 2010, bulk buying, joint procurement, better financing and extending manufacturing capacity into Africa meant that this number had increased to 145 million.

A sustained, driven focus on high coverage with this very effective anti-malarial intervention contributed greatly to the 1. 1 million lives that have been saved and a one-third decline in African malaria mortality rates that have been recorded since 2000.

"UNICEF is also stepping up its efforts on integrated community case management, which brings a package of life-saving interventions closer to children, families and homes," the statement said.

A three-day treatment will cure malaria infections, especially if an episode is diagnosed early enough and treated appropriately , in particular with artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs).

But many children, especially in Africa, still die from malaria as they do not sleep under insecticide-treated bed nets and are unable to access life-saving treatment within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms.