Mutombo campaigns against Malaria

Basketball legend Dikembe Mutombo has emerged as the face of the global struggle against malaria. Mutombo, who tormented his contemporaries on the hardwood with his shot blocking prowess—at times even out-duelling the likes of Michael Jordan, is now confronting a far different and deadlier opponent. The towering former Atlantic Hawks star, known for his gentle demeanor and charitable causes briefed a throng of journalists as part of World Malaria Day at the Foreign Press in New York City.
Sitting alongside US Global Malaria coordinator, Rear Admiral Ziemer, and Elizabeth Gore of the United Nations Foundation, Mutombo chronicled his own encounter with the deadly disease, having been stricken into unconsciousness after a game in Boston a few years ago. “I was a victim too,” he said, “after going back home to Africa to visit my parents. Imagine if there wasn’t a cure?” he asked rhetorically.

He emphasised the fact that he was expeditiously diagnosed and treated, a medical goal he envisions for his native home in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and throughout the continent.“We have made strides in Africa but we need better case management and good labs to diagnose the disease. We just need to go to the next level,” he stated. It was an hour long interaction that highlighted the enormous economic toll that malaria has wrought on the socio-economic development of the continent—with a staggering 12 billion lost in revenue, Mutombo and other panelists stressed the need for continued international support to eradicate this health crisis by 2015. “We cannot talk about a region’s development if we cannot talk about its people. We have millions dying from HIV/Aids and millions from malaria. “We are losing our young, our future doctors and leaders; and more than 100,000,000 people are at risk; every 45 seconds a child dies from malaria,” Mutombo poignantly noted.

It’s a daunting task but a fortuitous end is realisable. Host governments along with the United States, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the UN Foundation, Unicef, the private sector, faith based agencies and the NBA (including the WNBA) have coalesced around a common objective. Tens of thousands of insecticide-treated nets have been manufactured globally (including Africa) and distributed. Further, the different strains of malaria are monitored by the World Health Organisation (Who) and at universities as on-going research is being conducted to develop a suitable vaccine. Malaria, according to Mutombo isn’t a parochial issue peculiar to Africa. He was very much the philosopher and visionary.
“When there is a problem affecting one society, it should become a world concern, a world responsibility,” he said.

As Africa’s image continues to grow as an attractive region for leisure and business, malaria is indeed a world issue as indicated by the US Global Health Initiative. Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia have not disappeared under the radar as measures are also being taken to prevent and monitor the disease. Transferring the principle of team work from the NBA to this enduring cause célèbre, Mutombo’s advocacy for a united front has been key to the growing awareness and success against the disease. Former and current NBA and WNBA players have conducted basketball clinics throughout Africa, and raised millions of dollars as they continue to educate the public on the challenges ahead.
Underscoring the logistical nightmare of delivering bed nets in some remote areas of sub-Saharan Africa, Mutombo lauded the efforts of fellow celebrities who have traversed hostile terrain—going from door to door to deliver this life saving protection. “This is testament of our commitment to win this fight,” he ended.

(Dr Glenville Ashby is a NY
foreign correspondent)