As you know, if you've read my articles about malaria, even today -- nearly 50 years after the disease was finally eradicated in the United States -- malaria remains the biggest single killer of African children. It is a needless tragedy.

I hope you can take a few minutes from your busy days to read through this message and join me and thousands of other people in supporting this bed nets campaign. Virtually all of us who are involved in this effort recognize that bed nets are only a small part of the solution. Controlling, and ultimately eradicating, malaria in Africa and other regions will require comprehensive strategies that also include modern ACT drugs (Artemisia-based combination therapies), better education and sanitation, and the use of insecticides and repellants like DDT. But we support this, as well, and hope you will too.

In fact, we need to get people in other countries involved in the Fast Against Malaria and its fund-raising effort. Thus far, the only "fasters" involved are in US, UK, Zambia, Tanzania, Switzerland and India. If you could sign up, and pass this memo along to friends and colleagues who live in countries other than these six, please email them and ask them to fly the flag of their country in helping to save a life.

It's easy and secure to go online and do this. It took me less than two minutes. You simply skip a lunch (if you wish), and contribute the $5 you save by not eating to buy a bed net . Or just contribute $5 and have lunch anyway - and SAVE A LIFE.

Just go to http://www.fastagainstmalaria.com/ and follow the prompts.

Thank you for considering my request - and joining us in this important humanitarian effort. Thousands of people will be alive to thank you.

GRIH senior fellow Paul Driessen is senior policy advisor at the Congress of Racial Equality.