The UN children's fund, UNICEF, on Friday called for a sustained effort to control malaria as the day is marked worldwide.

In a statement, UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman said that of the 1 million people who die each year due to malaria, about 800,000 are children under the age of five who live in sub- Saharan Africa.

"It is unacceptable that malaria still kills more than 1 million people, mostly children, every year," said Veneman.

"Malaria is a curable and preventable disease that can be controlled by increasing the use of mosquito nets and other proven interventions, as part of integrated, community-based programs."

Malaria is endemic in 107 countries and territories. It is "a disease without borders" -- the theme for this first World Malaria Day.

Increased global awareness about malaria has contributed to a significant rise in available resources over recent years, thanks to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, the US President's Malaria Initiative, the World Bank, UNICEF and others. These funds are now facilitating the rapid improvements and scaling-up of malaria intervention coverage.

Since 2003, most African countries have switched to the more effective World Health Organization-recommended Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) to treat malaria.

There has been a significant increase in global ACT production, from less than 4 million treatment doses in 2004 to over 100 million in 2006.

In 16 of the 20 African countries for which trend data is available the use of insecticide-treated nets has tripled since 2000.

"In Ethiopia, 18 million long-lasting insecticidal nets that protect against malaria have been distributed since 2005, and in Kenya 10 million nets have been distributed in the past five years, " said Veneman.

"These successes show what can be achieved with concerted action. But with an estimated 800,000 African children still dying from malaria every year, it is clear that much remains to be done. "

If malaria is to be controlled, interventions must be further scaled up, sustained financing must be made available, and community involvement and leadership must be encouraged, alongside stronger global, regional and national partnerships.

In his statement to mark the day, UN Secretary-General Ban ki- Moon said several African countries have made dramatic strides in malaria control in recent days, but the most affected nations remain off track to reach the goal of halting and reversing the incidence of the disease.

"As we pass the mid-point in the race towards the Millennium Development Goals, we desperately need to step up our efforts to roll back malaria,"he said.

As a concrete step toward ending malaria deaths,the Secretary- General and his Special Envoy for Malaria, Ray Chambers, joined at the UN by leaders in global health, announced a bold but achievable vision for universal coverage of essential malaria control measures in Africa by Dec. 31, 2010.

"This challenge is a clarion call to hurry up and eliminate malaria deaths," said Chambers.

"The Secretary-General is exhorting all partners to accelerate the pace over the next 1,000 days to achieve universal coverage. Unlike past efforts, we now have the resources, the knowledge, and, I think, the will and determination to achieve this bold goal."

The UN chief called on partners to expand the delivery of malaria control interventions - including through community health workers, NGOs and faith-based organizations -and to lay the groundwork for the eventual elimination.

Chambers said that this effort will also require expanded monitoring and evaluation efforts and increased funding for research and development.

"We have the resources and the know-how, but we have less than 1,000 days before the end of 2010,"said the Secretary-General.

"So we urgently need your leadership and commitment. Let's get to work," he said.