Date: Tuesday, October 24, and Thursday, October 26, 2006
Times: See time slots for videoconferences below
Grades: 8-12
Topics: Current Events, Science Studies, Africa
Cost (2 videoconferences):  non members - $240 | members - $180

Definition: A human disease that is caused by sporozoan parasites (genus Plasmodium) in the red blood cells, is transmitted by the bite of anopheline mosquitoes, and is characterized by periodic attacks of chills and fever.

Context: Malaria, a disease spread by mosquitoes, kills more than 2,000,000 people every year.

Did you know...

• Malaria is a bigger killer of children in Africa than HIV/AIDS
• About 3,000 African children die a day due to Malaria
• In the past five years, outbreaks of malaria have been transmitted locally by indigenous mosquitoes in California, Texas, Michigan, and near New York City
• Between 1,600 and 2,000 cases of malaria are reported in the U.S. each year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (considered to be about half the actual number of cases occurring in the country)
• An itch from a bite is actually an allergic reaction to mosquito saliva
• Only female mosquitoes bite humans… to find out why, sign up!

To bring awareness to this important global issue, GNG held our first International Pulse Program on the issue of Malaria. Malaria: The Forgotten Threat was a two-part videoconferencing series that included lesson plans, a youth to youth discussion on the international dilemma of Malaria and a remote broadcast from the heart of Africa, where scientists are trying to create a vaccine.

Students the opportunity to visit a organization in Mozambique that is furiously working away to find a vaccine against malaria. They were able to meet two experts who presented the program and answered questions about malaria posed by the students.

Thursday, October 26: The conference featured Dr. Ricardo Thompson, Scientific Director of the Ministry of Health in Mozambique, and Mr. Rui Gomes de Costa, founder and Director General of Gestlab. Both speakers discussed their role in fighting malaria, and things students in the U.S. can do to help decrease the threat of the parasite. Dr. Thompson opened the discussion with an overview of malaria and its current status as a leading killer of children in Africa. "Malaria, as you might know, is one of the most preventable diseases worldwide," he began. "However, every year about 1 million individuals die from malaria in Africa." He went on to explain how the malaria parasite, which is often spread by mosquitoes, can spread through the body. "When malaria parasite gets in the bloodstream of any individual, it travels to the liver first," he said. "In the liver, one single parasite will multiply up to 30,000 times. So you can see the magnitude of this biological problem." Students were eager to learn more about the parasite and what they can do to help. One student in Durham, N.C. asked what the fastest way to cure malaria would be. Mr. Gomes de Costa responded, "There’s no short-term resolution to this. It’s a battle and we’ve got to get out there and actually fight it, and use whatever weapons we have at our disposal." Another student in St. Louis, MO, asked if there is anything they could do to help. "One thing that can be done is to just raise awareness," answered Dr. Thompson. "There’s a lot of effort that has be put forth to control this disease, and we are sure that without a global effort, we will not be able to do it. Sometimes a small effort from an individual can make a big difference."

Preparation materials for the program:

	Malaria: the forgottten threat An Overview of the Program and What to Expect
	Lesson Plan 2-A An Introduction to Malaria
	Lesson Plan 2-B Preparing for the second conference, live from Mozambique

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