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Re: Increasing awareness regarding problems associated with eradication of malaria in Africa and Islands amongst the African-American Church in the United States...

Rear Adm. Tim Ziemer US Global Malaria Coordinator described work of United Methodist Church as establishing bench mark for malaria prevention. There is agreement with his comment.

However the African-American Church must prepare itself individually and collectively to change their level of participation in eliminating malaria and other infectious diseases throughout the entire African Continent.

The Church must encourage congregations to develop understanding, information and resources in local and global communities to fight one of the most important and devastating diseases in Africa and globally. It is by the gospel of Jesus Christ that the Church claims to uphold the mission to heal not only the Soul but the body. 3000 children die a day in Africa from malaria.

The fields of Africa are ripe for the African-American Church and Congregations to step forward and dynamically expand the work of the Gospel on the Continent by contributing in: research, public health, communications, field studies, clinical development, and sustainable interventions to eliminate malaria beginning with local communities in Africa.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

I.M. Spence-Lewis M.D.