The New Epidemic: The Problem of Malaria in Africa

The New Epidemic: The Problem of Malaria in Africa (Name) (University) (Course code) (Professor) May 27, 2013 The New Epidemic: The Problem of Malaria in Africa The statistics are startling: According to WHO, over 100,000 people of all ages die every year globally from Malaria epidemics. In 2010, over 660,000 deaths (with an uncertainty range of between 490,000 - 836,000) were reported mostly among African children. Malaria is a disease spread by female anopheles mosquito (WHO, 2013). It is a very serious disease especially in the developing world. In Africa, 30 per cent of infant deaths are caused by malaria every year. In addition to that, half of the world’s population is at risk for malaria which is endemic in more than 100 countries especially in Sub Saharan Africa. In the light of these realities, it is imperative that malaria should be controlled and eliminated by all means as a matter of urgency for if this is not done, millions of lives will continue to be lost prematurely. A number of solutions to this catastrophic epidemic have been put forward by different experts, civil society groups, and governments, but still there is no consensus on how best to combat this growing epidemic. But it is the use of DDT insecticide that has of late been cited as the ultimate and most viable solution to the chronic problem of malaria especially in most parts of Africa. This paper focuses on this particular viable solution in the fight against malaria, and the advantages of this solution. DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is an organic chemical compound that was first synthesized in laboratory experiments in 1874 by Othmer Zeidler.However; it was not until in 1939 when Dr Paul Muller, working for a pharmaceutical company in Switzerland, discovered that the chemical was effective in killing mosquitoes and other insects. Consequently, the Allied Forces used DDT for the first time in 1943 to combat malaria transmitted by mosquitoes and typus transmitted by lice. Throughout their operations in the Second World War, the Allied Forces found DDT to be an effective pesticide especially in eliminating mosquitoes, the malaria vector (American Geological Institute, 2011). Taking cue from the Allied Forces’ successful use of DDT to combat malaria in endemic areas, most countries across the world began to use the insecticide to control malaria also. The benefits were tremendous and for a time in the 60s, malaria was almost wiped out in some parts of Africa. Conservative estimates aver that over 25 million lives were saved across the world courtesy of DDT. However, the drugs soon run into trouble after the 1962 publication of the controversial book, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson which claimed that DDT was indeed harmful to ecology. In the aftermath of this book’s publications and subsequent researches, new facts started emerging that the insecticide indeed had severe side effects on human health and ecology. Its ban in the US in 1972 and by organizations such as WHO saw the chemical fall into disuse in most parts of the developed world (American Geological Institute, 2011). It is only in the recent years following a resurgence of fresh malaria infections that attention has again been re- focused on the drug as a solution to combating malaria in Africa and the tropics. That the use of DDT is now touted to be the most viable solution to malaria in Africa is not without its own merits. The first merit is economical in nature and it has to do with saving money. It has been indicated that the cost of treating malaria is quite enormous and runs into billions of dollars each year. This cost is not only to the individuals and households but also to the governments. To the individuals, the cost arises from buying of drugs for malaria treatment at home and also from paying hospital fees if they seek medical intervention. To the government, the cost is thousands of dollars spent in treatment of infected populations and importing of antimalarials. There is probably no any other testament to the financial toll malaria has taken on governments than the news that in some African countries, malaria is now a major healthcare system burden. However, by using DDT, the billions of dollars spent in malaria interventions each year by both individuals and governments can be saved and then channeled to development projects. When a significant proportion of an individual’s income or a government’s budget is spent in service such as treatment of malaria instead of in supporting development projects, it portends poverty for the individual and the general populace in a country. Using DDT to combat malaria therefore implies that the individuals and the government can have disposable incomes to alleviate poverty. The second advantage of using DD...