What drew you to the fight against malaria and encouraged you to commit yourself to it?

I became fully engaged in the issue of malaria when I was working with Dr. Jeffrey Sachs on extreme poverty. We were in Kenya together a few years ago and he showed me this photo of a room full of young African children lying down, seemingly peacefully asleep. I smiled and commented on how beautiful they were. "You don't understand," he replied. "These children are not sleeping; they are in comas due to malaria. Each of them died within 48 hours of this picture being taken."

I have never been able to shake that image from my mind, nor the shock I felt at learning that 3,000 children die unnecessarily each day in Africa from this preventable and treatable disease.

No other issue I have seen offers such a tremendous opportunity to eliminate human death and suffering and unlock human potential on a mass scale as malaria. We have seen this potential realized in Rwanda and Ethiopia. The World Health Organization reports that both countries have cut malaria incidence and deaths by more than 50 percent between 2005 and 2007 through the mass deployment of proven, cost-effective tools including insecticide-treated bed nets, life-saving medicines, and targeted spraying.

In addition to the one million lives malaria takes each year, malaria costs the continent of Africa an estimated $30 billion each year in health costs and lost productivity, trapping hundreds of millions of people in a cycle of extreme poverty and perpetual illness. There can be no breakthrough in Africa's development and prosperity without first addressing malaria.

Yet, for as little as $2.2 billion a year, we could bring this problem under control in the hardest-hit countries in Africa, which account for almost 90 percent of malaria deaths. $2.2 billion to produce a return of $30 billion? That's an investment I would make every day—and one the world should make. Doing so would save millions of lives, produce tens of billions of dollars in economic returns, and provide the springboard for the ultimate goal of eradicating malaria.

Working together with the private sector, we have an opportunity to achieve the first great humanitarian victory of the 21st Century by eliminating deaths from malaria. Given the moral urgency and the known solutions, we simply can't afford to wait. There are no more excuses.

You were recently named the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Malaria, the first appointment to this position. What is happening in the fight against malaria to elevate this position and the importance of the issue at the United Nations?

Despite recent progress, most African nations continue to struggle with halting and reversing the incidence of malaria. As we pass the mid-point in the race towards the Millennium Development Goals this year, we absolutely must step up our efforts to roll back malaria. Fighting malaria isn't only about the disease. Malaria accounts for as much as 40 percent of health expenditures in malaria-endemic African countries. Just think of the resources that could be put towards other problems if we eliminate malaria's threat.

As the primary institution that bridges donor nations and malaria-endemic countries, the United Nations can rally partners, coordinate action, and hold the world accountable for meeting its goals. We saw a powerful demonstration of this on April 25th, the first World Malaria Day, when Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon challenged the world community to eliminate as many deaths from malaria as possible in the next several years.

As a concrete step toward that goal, he announced a bold but achievable vision for universal coverage of essential malaria control measures in Africa by the end of 2010, including bed nets and access to effective diagnosis and treatment in public health facilities. We also need to expand delivery channels and monitoring and evaluation efforts, as well as increase funding for research and development. Already, partners are rallying to the cause with new commitments and unprecedented cooperation.

How can corporations participate in this critical effort?

The Secretary-General's challenge is a clarion call to get serious about eliminating malaria deaths, and corporations need to step up to be a part of the solution. Given their proven effectiveness and ease of delivery, long-lasting bed nets represent an expedient "first wave" of this scale-up effort. Funding is available for approximately 130 million nets through 2010, according to estimates by the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. This leaves a gap of approximately 120 million nets that must be funded and deployed by December 31, 2010.

Corporations with a presence in malaria-endemic countries can ensure access to and proper use of malaria interventions in the communities they reach. They can apply their core competencies to assist with logistics, distribution, procurement and production. Additionally, corporations can contribute nimble financing to leverage and expedite contributions from the public sector.

Businesses should use the same rigor in evaluating CSR opportunities and public needs as they would any other investment. When seeking the strongest return on investment, the fight against malaria is unparalleled.

» Roll Back Malaria: Visit the Roll Back Malaria website

» Malaria Action: Read The Corporate Response to Malaria: An Actionable Overview (PDF)