UN net scheme praised

The United Nations (UN) has launched a scheme which will see 30 million treated mosquito nets sent to Nigeria.

Ray Chambers, secretary general for the Special Envoy for Malaria, has praised the initiative, which comes as part of a Global Fund initiative and will see special long-lasting nets handed out.

He said: "[The UN's] unprecedented commitment to Nigeria, which bears one quarter of the global malaria burden, will protect millions of people from malaria and save over 100,000 lives."

Enough nets will be delivered to cover half of Nigeria's population, with these being used in the fight against diseases such as malaria.

Last week, it was announced that Bill Gates has given $100,000 (£62,000) to researchers looking into new ways to combat malaria.

It is thought that chewing gum which could detect the disease through saliva, negating the need for blood to be taken, may be among the innovations that this new funding helps develop.

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