Grove English Communication Ⅲ
LESSON 9
Bed Nets for African Children
Until a few decades ago, many Japanese families had used bed nets, called kaya in Japanese, to protect themselves from mosquitoes and other harmful insects. As their lifestyles changed, kaya gradually became obsolete in Japan. In African countries, however, the mosquito is still a strong enemy. A parasite carried by the Anopheles mosquito causes malaria, which killed about 409,000 people around the world, especially young children, in 2019.
To prevent malaria, bed nets have proved to be a simple, cheap, and effective solution. Many African countries are distributing them. In 2015, approximately 53% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa was protected by bed nets, compared to 2% back in 2000.
New types of bed nets treated with insecticides have been developed thus far. The insecticides in those types of bed nets remain effective for at least three years, even after they are washed repeatedly. The WHO now recommends that these long-lasting bed nets be distributed and used more widely.
It is estimated that 7.6 million malaria-related deaths were averted worldwide during the past 20 years. Globally, the number of malaria cases is estimated to be 229 million in 2019, down from 238 million in 2000. Bed nets play a critical role in saving lives in African countries.