Threat to key tool in the fight against malaria

Business Day (South Africa) | May 23, 2013

If environmentalists get their way, one of the key weapons in the fight against malaria will be banned before any real alternative is available, with devastating effects.

Every year, malaria sickens more than 200-million people and kills about 600,000. Most of these cases and deaths occur in Africa and in women and children younger than five. Malaria cases and deaths have been falling in Africa due to the increased use of insecticides and better drug treatments.

Malaria-control programme managers fight not only against the wily mosquito and malaria parasite that are constantly evolving, but also against fellow humans with vested interests. Earlier this month, the Stockholm Convention convened its sixth Conference of Parties (COP-6) in Geneva.

The convention oversees the banning or control of various chemicals, known as persistent organic pollutants, that are either used in industry or agriculture. One of these, the insecticide DDT, is used in malaria control in several countries. The fact that DDT saves lives every day has pitted environmentalists against the public health community. So far, public health has prevailed, but the forces allied against this insecticide are powerful, well funded and determined. more »

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