Rotary Health Communities Challenge launches $30 million program to combat fatal childhood diseases

Rotary Health Communities Challenge, a program pioneered by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and World Vision is launching the program to combat the leading childhood killers of pneumonia, malaria, and diarrheal diseases in Zambia, DRC, Mozambique, and Nigeria.

Despite progress made over the years, these diseases remain the most frequent causes of illness and death for children under five in these countries.

The program will fund high-impact investment in methods which strengthen community health systems and deliver sustainable disease treatment and prevention.

Philip Welkhoff, Director of Malaria at the Gates Foundation, commented on the launch of the program: “investing in community health workers is one of the best things we can do to bolster the fight against malaria and other preventable diseases. We are proud to build on our partnership with Rotary and World Vision and are confident this new initiative will help ensure that children in these four countries will have the opportunity to grow up healthy and reach their full potential.”

The program was built as a result of the success of the ‘Partners for a Malaria-free Zambia’ 3-year program which targeted ten districts within two highly affected provinces in the country.

CEO and President of World Vision, Edgar Sandoval, said “when partners join together, we can have a greater impact on helping the most vulnerable reach their full God-given potential.”