The Rx Africa needs to beat malaria [DDT]

New York Daily News ^ | September 26, 2006 | By FIONA KOBUSINGYE

[GovernmentShrinker]

Actaully there are 4 types, and one is indeed the most serious. With the level of medical diagnosis/care available in Rwanda 40 years ago, I doubt that it was ever really determined which type(s) I had.

The general chaos of African society is plenty of reason not to launch a large-scale DDT program there. Anything that happens there happens in a haphazard way, and that's not wise when dealing with things like DDT and malaria. Past experience with large scale DDT programs found that DDT-resistant mosquitos began emerging within a year. Societies which are not capable of undertaking comprehensive, thorough eradication programs are very likely to get this sort of backfiring.

As for funding, the US provides a huge chunk of the funding for nearly all third world aid programs, and that will happen in this case as well, unless some legislation is passed to specifically prohibit US funding of DDT programs.

[xenophiles]

People would have to go around in their houses' draped in netting.

You are retreating from a position that was simply misinformed to one that is obviously false.

Insects don't build up a resistance to DDT, they just die. Saying they will build up a resistance to DDT is like saying ebola will build up a resistance to bleach, which will never happen.

Once again you appear to be misinformed.

One question for you: What the hell makes you think these people who are being killed by malaria would not have thought of using mosquito netting if that was all it takes to protect themselves from malaria?

1) Calm down.
2) There are many reasons why people don't take simple precautions to protect themselves from deadly diseases, so that's not a very strong argument. I have talked with intelligent Africans who didn't know the germ theory of disease.

[Nathan Zachary]

We also lose millions of working days, billions spent on medicines and hospital visits, and billions because tourists and foreign investment don't come to our countries." Does DDT work on Jihadists and anti white dictators too?

[Nathan Zachary]

" Rachel Carson Islam is the greatest mass murder of all times.

And still is.

[Sir Gawain]

http://www.junkscience.com/ddtfaq.htm

[tomzz]

No one individual slammite has ever killed 90,000,000 people; Rachel Carson has. Closest individual slammite to that would likely be Tamerlane, who'd be way, way back there around fifth or sixth place or some such on a top ten murder list. Rachel is numero uno.

[Nathan Zachary]

"The only criticism I have, is that I'd add Mao to that list, probably in second. That latest biography put his death count at @70 million.

Still, doesn't even come close to Islam's record in India alone, but he certainly does belong near the top of the list.

[Nathan Zachary]

I don't think Rachel went out and stuck everyone with a dirty malaria infected needle.

Like Islam, it was her actions that caused others (mosquitoes in her case) to do their bidding.

[Nathan Zachary]

"Because it's simpler, cheaper, easier to verify and doesn't lead to insecticide resistance, dependence on foreign chemical industry or uneasiness in trade partners."

No, it's simpler, cheaper (cost of lives) And easier to use an insecticide such a DDT and larvasides to eradicate the disease.

These are not things that have to be done continuously, they are short term applications over a period of 2-3 years.

It takes much longer than that for any resistance (which isn't likely) to develop.

Careful monitoring after initial eradication would restrict future DDT use, and keep it down to local outbreak applications.