The Barometer Online

Issue date: 4/26/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Luke Wenker Kelly Volkmann, a member of the International Health Club, dressed up as a white-kneed, bandy-legged mosquito and approached people in the MU Quad on Wednesday to try and raise awareness for Malaria Week. The idea of the Malaria booth was to raise money for malaria victims in Africa.

"Do you have a minute for malaria?" said Madhu Bhadra of the International Health Club.

Sound familiar? For those passing by the Memorial Union Quad on Wednesday, it just might.

For the first time on the Oregon State University campus, International Malaria Awareness Day, which is traditionally held on April 25, has been increased to malaria awareness week.

Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted through mosquitoes that affects nearly 1 million people each year, most being in sub-Saharan Africa where it is the leading cause of death for children under 5.

Events of the week began on Monday afternoon in the Kelley Engineering Center with a guest lecture by Dr. Matthew Lynch of Johns Hopkins University, program director of VOICES for a Malaria Free Future.

An organization funded by an $8.7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, VOICES aims to assist in fighting Malaria by raising awareness and getting people to work together.

"Our goal is to increase access for protective treatment," Lynch said. "[Malaria] really is a global emergency."

Lynch's lecture focused primarily on the status of the fight against the disease, monetary issues involved and the steps that are being taken to combat malaria.

Events continued on Wednesday with another guest lecture, this time by Dr. Rochelle Rainey of USAID Global Health Bureau.

The presentation focused on the environmental impacts of Indoor Residual Spraying for Malaria control. According to public health officials, IRS is the process of spraying the interior of a building with insecticides, and can have damaging effects on crops.

Also on Wednesday, OSU's International Health Club set up a tent in the Memorial Union Quad to aid in fundraising efforts - cookies, shirts, wristbands and films were all for sale. To catch the eyes of passersby, International Health Club member Kelly Volkmann was dressed as a giant mosquito made of PVC pipe, insulation and a backpack frame.

"I'm a female anopheles mosquito," Volkmann said. Anolpheles mosquitoes are carriers of the disease.

A sample mosquito net was also on display with students sitting under.

"We're helping raise awareness and money to aid in areas where malaria is running rampant," said Mike Rondhuis, a volunteer who spent the morning under the net.

Malaria week continues Thursday at 7 p.m. with a screening of the film, Waves of Compassion, at the Avalon Cinema and Friday at 6 p.m. with Africa Night at West International House.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools