This is Robert Cohen with the VOA Special English DevelopmentReport.

Malaria is estimated to kill another child in Africa every thirtyseconds. But there is new evidence that treatment of malaria at homecan save many lives. This is called home-based management.Home-based management is being used in several countries in Africa.These include Uganda, Ghana and Nigeria.

Local health workers and mothers of young children are trained torecognize the signs of malaria. They are taught to seek treatmentimmediately. Store keepers are trained to sell the right amount ofmedicine for the age of the patient. And directions about how to usethe drugs have pictures so they are easier to understand.

World Health Organization officials say this treatment at home isreducing malaria deaths in children under the age of five. Oneexample is in Burkina Faso. W.H.O. officials say deaths decreased bymore than fifty percent when high body temperatures were treatedquickly.

High fever is the most importantsign of malaria. Experts say children should be treated withintwenty-hour hours after their temperature rises. At first, a coolwet cloth may help reduce the body temperature. But children can diewithin two days if the malaria becomes severe. Children must receivethe correct amount of medicine. And they must take all the medicinethey are given.

Mothers and health workers are told to take the child to amedical center if the fever is treated but continues after two days.Other signs of malaria include sleepiness and feeling sick in thestomach. The W.H.O. says people often take patients to traditionalhealers to treat another effect of malaria: severe shaking. But itsays the healers should be trained to tell them they must go to ahospital.

The World Health Organization has published a guide in an effortto increase malaria treatment at home. This information tells abouthow to train and educate mothers and other people about malaria. InUganda, for example, communities have elected a person to learn thesigns of malaria and provide medicine. Teachers and store keepersare also trained to help educate the community about malaria.

The guide is called "Scaling Up Home-Based Management ofMalaria." Internet users can find it at www.who.int. Again,www.who.int.

This VOA Special English Development Report was written by KarenLeggett. This is Robert Cohen.