David Pratt, Canadian Red Cross Special Ambassador and former National Defence Minister, on his work for the Canadian Red Cross, distributing 875,000 bed-nets to help prevent malaria in Sierra Leone:

Five years ago, I visited Sierra Leone when the country was embroiled in a needless and horrific war that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of innocent victims. Last week, I returned with Canadian Red Cross to find a nation working hard to recover from the hostilities, but now battling a more insidious foe -- malaria.

Even though the disease is preventable and treatable, it is still the number one killer in Sierra Leone. World-wide each year, malaria causes 300 million illnesses and more than one million deaths. One child dies every 30 seconds. It's hard to imagine all this happens through the bite of one infected mosquito.

One of the most proven and cost-effective ways to fight the disease and save lives is a simple $8 bed-net. The problem is for the people most vulnerable to infection, the cost of a net is prohibitive.

I travelled to Sierra Leone in support of the malaria bed-net campaign of Canadian Red Cross. From November 20 to 26, the Canadian Red Cross along with 4,000 volunteers from the Sierra Red Cross distributed 875,000 free bed-nets to all families with children under five. The nets were part of a national child health campaign, including measles vaccinations, Vitamin A supplements and de-worming medication.

With $26 million in support from the Canadian International Development Agency, nearly 2.6 million nets have been distributed since 2003 in Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Togo, Niger and now, Sierra Leone. They are estimated to have saved the lives of over 69,000 people.

Too often, we can become desensitized to the statistics of malaria. But the stark reality of what this disease means in human terms was tragically illustrated to our Red Cross team half-way through the distribution campaign.

While returning from a visit to Moyamba, about 100 kilometres from Freetown, the country's capital city, my Canadian colleague's vehicle was flagged down by a Sierra Leone Red Cross volunteer on the side of the road. With him was a gravely ill woman named Remata.

She was in her late twenties and was six months pregnant with her seventh child. The volunteer asked for her to get urgent medical attention. Remata was suffering from anaemia brought on by severe malaria.

Fifteen minutes into the trip, Remata died in the car on the way to the hospital.

During the campaign, it was hard not to think of her, how many other women shared a similar fate and how easily these deaths could be prevented. As I travelled around to several of the 900 distribution sites, it was inspiring to see the line-ups of families holding infants in their arms and small children waiting patiently by their sides to receive a bed-net.

The images of mothers comforting their kids left crying after getting their measles vaccination, the colourful banners advertising the program and the masses of children following our every move will stay with me for some time.

The mothers of Sierra Leone are like mothers everywhere -- they want their children to be safe and to lead happy, healthy and productive lives. That they turned out in such large numbers across the country is evidence they recognized these bed-nets offer real protection against malaria for their children.

As we returned to Freetown, we passed village after village with families hanging up their bed-nets. It was a positive indication that the nets would be used, and ultimately lead to the protection of tens of thousands of children.

While Remata's death didn't have to happen, it is a reminder to all of us about what can be done. With the proper diagnosis, treatment and prevention measures, the war against malaria can be won -- in part thanks to the ultimate safety net.

If you wish to make a donation to the Malaria Bed-Net Campaign of Canadian Red Cross, you can donate at www.redcross.ca or by calling 1-800-418-1111.