almotamar.net - An official source at the Yemeni Ministry of Health and Population on Friday said the Ministry received a message from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)'s Executive Bureau accepting articles of the plan prepared by Yemen for elimination of malaria disease, according to the GCC states strategy for fighting malaria in the Arabian Peninsula.

The source pointed out the acceptance included a financial support amounting to $ 48 million for Yemen for elimination malaria completely and full control of it in accordance with the joint work with the GCC for the elimination of malaria in the Arabian Peninsula and to work as from the beginning of 2008.

The source said Yemen works according to joint committees for fighting malaria in border areas between Yemen and Saudi Arabia and the support offered by Saudi Arabia for Yemen in 2007 amounted to SR 6 million in addition to spraying equipment, insecticides and means of transport.

He said Yemen has achieved success in controlling malaria as it managed to reduce infection cases from 2 million 500 thousand cases to around 800 thousand cases.