ExxonMobil Supports Inaugural World Malaria Day

IRVING, Texas -- The ExxonMobil Corp. pledged its support to the first annual World Malaria Day by recently donating $10 million to anti-malaria efforts.

"Malaria kills an African child every 30 seconds and more than one million people a year," Rex W. Tillerson, chairman and chief executive officer, said in a released statement. "World Malaria Day provides an opportunity to increase awareness and direct engagement in fighting the devastating consequences of this preventable disease."

The donation, which was connected to the "Idol Gives Back" episode of the FOX-TV show American Idol, earlier this month, has been further supported by ExxonMobil employees in Africa and Europe who initiated a fund-raising campaign for the purchase of life-saving bed nets.

Stateside, J. Stephen Simon, senior vice president of ExxonMobil, will participate in a World Malaria Day event at the White House, hosted by President George W. Bush. To date, ExxonMobil is the largest corporate donor to the President's Malaria Initiative.

"ExxonMobil employees and executives are participating in a number of activities in Africa, Europe and North America on World Malaria Day designed to raise awareness and resources in the battle against malaria," Tillerson said in a released statement. "ExxonMobil is committed to the fight, which is why we're doing everything we are -- from helping to develop new drugs to distributing insecticide-treated nets to places where they are desperately needed."
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