The Ultimate Mass Murderer

"Nice one. Nijntje ex machina"

Please tell! What does that mean?

We are a group of scientists and doctors who are writing you on account of your participation in the ongoing treaty negotiations of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) aimed at eliminating Persistent Organic Pollutants, or POPs.

You are no doubt aware that one of substances the POPs Treaty seeks to ban from future use is DDT, and that such a ban is supported by most wealthy Western countries and several environmental NGOs. However, you may not be aware that DDT is also a critical tool in the fight against malaria, which remains a terrible scourge of the developing world. ....

http://www.malaria.org/DDT_open.html




OPEN LETTER TO DDT TREATY NEGOTIATORS

Quote:

We are a group of scientists and doctors who are writing you on account of your participation in the ongoing treaty negotiations of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) aimed at eliminating Persistent Organic Pollutants, or POPs.

You are no doubt aware that one of substances the POPs Treaty seeks to ban from future use is DDT, and that such a ban is supported by most wealthy Western countries and several environmental NGOs. However, you may not be aware that DDT is also a critical tool in the fight against malaria, which remains a terrible scourge of the developing world. ....

G-Snake, it seems to me you are arguing in circles. Hasn't it already been pointed out that malaria-ridden countries still have the option to use DDT?

Maybe I'm asking the wrong question here.

G-Snake: What, exactly, are you trying to say and/or prove?

1. Malaria is a terrible burden on afflicted countries? I think we can say that most of us will agree with that.
2. The US is evil for opposing the use of DDT? I would have to say that you have not convinced me. The supporting evidence is not compelling.
3. DDT is not harmful? Again, I have to say that you have not convinced me.
4. DDT is the most effective method of preventing the transmission of malaria? You have not convinced me. You have to consider the risks of using a pesticide right along with the benefits of using one.
5. The cost/benefit of using DDT should be carefully considered (and constantly re-evaluated) regarding using it to combat malaria? I can agree with that one. However, I would have to say that is up to the individual countries that want to use the stuff.
6. Some other argument that I have not presented here? Please be specific.

G-Snake: What, exactly, are you trying to say and/or prove?

The barbarians being no longer at the gate are now chewing away at rationality and intellect. Gungasnake may be spit out at any moment.

G-Snake, it seems to me you are arguing in circles. Hasn't it already been pointed out that malaria-ridden countries still have the option to use DDT?

ts corridors are crowded with mothers who nurse crying infants, hot and weak with fever from malaria, as they wait for treatment.

Thankless task

The Health Ministry official who has the thankless job of leading Mozambique's day-to-day struggle against malaria is Dr Samuel Mabunda, and he admits that it seems an impossible mission.

"We do not have the money, the manpower or the health facilities to protect people as we would like to do," he says.

Mozambican child treated for malaria, BBC
Many children are killed by the disease
Perhaps surprisingly then, DDT is not used in Mozambique and the authorities say they do not want to use it.

Dr Avertino Barreto is Chief of Infectious Disease Control, and he points out that circumstances in a developing country like his would make DDT a big risk. Take the recent disastrous floods for a start, he says.

"You might only use DDT for house spraying, but flood waters could wash it everywhere," he says.

Mosquitoes are no respecters of borders though and because of this, Dr Barreto says, South Africa has been pushing its neighbour hard to change its policy.

"But our two countries are very different. If you use something potentially hazardous like DDT, you have to control this carefully. Mozambique does not have the infrastructure or the organisation to do this."

Mozambique's health ministry resents what it calls South Africa's interference and maintains it should be allowed to find its own ways to deal with malaria prevention.

They get a lot of back-talk in Laguna Beach and don't believe everything you hear about the OC -- the ultra-conservatives in the Midwest and the South would be where ideology becomes equated with ignorance.