[GovernmentShrinker]

While the harmful environmental effects of DDT may be exaggerated in some quarters, they are not completely mythical. And there are a lot of changes that need to be made in Africa to improve health and lifespan, that don't involve spreading toxic chemicals all over the place. It's worth noting that malaria used to be endemic in the southeastern U.S., and we managed to eradicate it, and are continuing to keep it at bay, without using DDT. It arrived in the 17th century, was a serious and widespread problem in the 19th century, and was virtually wiped out by 1940, BEFORE the introduction of DDT.

People all over Africa are dying of easily preventable diseases, from AIDS, which many Africans simply refuse to take any precautions against, to diarrhea in infants, which can be cured in time to save the infant's life with just a few cents worth of medicine that doesn't do one iota of harm to the environment. Those issues, and all the other issues that contribute the miserable state of human health in Africa, ought to be addressed before launching any human health initiatives that involve a "to hell with the wildlife" policy.

In people who live in a civilized manner and are reasonably healthy to begin with, malaria is rarely fatal. I would know -- I had it twice by the time I was 5 years old, and got over it both times without any medical care beyond what was available in the 1960s in the backward country of Rwanda where my family was living. Now in virtually perfect health in my mid-40s, my realistic life expectancy is well above the U.S. average. The high number of African deaths from malaria are not due to the absence of DDT (and in many cases, are due to the victims also having AIDS).

[binreadin]

Thank you, Thank you, for an intelligent, reasoned, informed response to this article. It is a welcome change, and it certainly is in line with the comment in the article where it state that only 56% of people with nets use them.

[babygene]

"People all over Africa are dying of easily preventable diseases, from AIDS, which many Africans simply refuse to take any precautions against, to diarrhea in infants, which can be cured in time to save the infant's life with just a few cents worth of medicine that doesn't do one iota of harm to the environment."

I strongly disagree with you. Where it's true that pennies will treat many of these conditions, money alone will not do it. Many of these people don't have pennies, most are uneducated, have never seen a doctor or a pill. And they never will... It would be my guess that many have not made the connection between getting bitten by a mosquito and getting sick and dying.

Thee population as a whole is not educated to the point that they will take preventative measures, even if such measures were available.

Malaria is the biggest killer disease out there, and it can be controlled. But hoping that the people are capable of helping to get it under control is a pipe dream.

[American in Israel]

Interesting thing about AIDS, the diseases blamed on AIDS in Africa are a completely different set of diseases that are blamed on AIDS in North America.

In Africa they all do with malnutrition, in North America they all have a link to drug use or lifestyle types.

How does a virus know that it is in Africa or in North America?

Perhaps the problems in Africa have a lot more to do with politics, somewhat like the eradication of Malarial mosquitoes, and less to do with a mystery virus?

[Coleus]

victims also having AIDS). >>

the rest of Africa should follow on what's being done in Uganda: abstinence until marriage, fidelity, monogamy.