Debates of the Senate (Hansard)

2nd Session, 39th Parliament,
Volume 144, Issue 52

Thursday, April 17, 2008
The Honourable Rose-Marie Losier-Cool, Speaker pro tempore

Foreign Affairs

Funding to Combat Malaria

Hon. Mobina S.B. Jaffer: Honourable senators, my question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate. The Canadian government recently announced a funding contribution of $105 million for the initiative to save lives to be allocated to treat malaria. The leader answered my previous question in this regard by saying that this amount would be spent on malaria health services depending on the burden of malaria in a country.

When we see that one in five African children die before their fifth birthday — one African child dies every 30 seconds — we know that malaria presents a large burden to families. This government states that currently these factors are being analyzed in cooperation with UNICEF and the respective ministries of health of each country.

When will the government know when this assessment will be done? What is the government doing to monitor these funds?

Hon. Marjory LeBreton (Leader of the Government and Secretary of State (Seniors)): I thank the honourable senator for the question. As I responded before, this is a tragic set of circumstances, and the death toll from malaria is overwhelming. The honourable senator has asked a specific question about when the government might be able to provide the information. I am quite certain that the government will have the information fairly soon, so I will take the question as notice.

Canadian International Development Agency—World Health Organization Request for Funding to Provide Bed Nets

Hon. Mobina S.B. Jaffer: Honourable senators, the World Health Organization has requested a further $100 million from CIDA to purchase and distribute life-saving bed nets and malaria medicines to give to poor African countries. Will CIDA be providing these supplies?

Hon. Marjory LeBreton (Leader of the Government and Secretary of State (Seniors)): Honourable senators, I will be happy to obtain information on the bed net program and the role of CIDA for the honourable senator.