Quote:
DDT to Return as Weapon Against Malaria, Experts Say
Brian Handwerk
for National Geographic News
August 1, 2006
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...t-malaria.html
DDT, a notorious symbol of environmental degradation, is poised to make a comeback.
International experts are touting the widely banned pesticide as a best bet to save millions of human lives threatened by malaria.
The disease, which kills mostly children and pregnant women, is largely spread by mosquitoes.
The overwhelming majority—90 percent—of malaria victims live in Africa, where the disease plagues both human and economic health (Africa facts, maps, more).
In May the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) endorsed the use of DDT for indoor antimalarial treatment in the developing world.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to do the same in short order, according to a comprehensive report published in the current issue of the journal Nature Medicine.
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Thirty years ago I and many others fought fought to get DDT banned.
It was mild in compared to many other chlorinated hydrocarbons.
Then I had read Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" and the even better book by? called "Since Silent Spring" which tells of the story of how Big Corporations and money tried to discredit Rachel Carson.
Few seem to remember any of this now. It seems big corporations just wait for the fuss and memory to die down and then re-introduce things like DDT and Thalidomide (now being marketed in S. America). While everyone assumes that that environmental battle has been won.
Many environmental books state "DDT has been banned". Perhaps, it has, in some counries. But spraying in any one part of the world spreads DDT all over the planet; just like greenhouse gasses.
I didn't know weather to put this thread in environment or medical ; but as the DDT is for a medical use (anti-malaria) i thought I would put it here. Of course there are as many environmental consequences of using DDT as there are medical
I wanted to state my position when starting this thread as the UN is now using and advocating its use to control the Malaria mosquito.
What do you think?
The debate is hotting up here are a few articles from different sides of the fence
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/459/508890
Quote:
The truth about malaria and DDT
By Guest: Paul Driessen on Jul 17, 2006
http://newsbyus.com/more.php?id=4486_0_1_0_M
Inaccurate claims about DDT are killing African children. People need to learn the facts.
Malaria continues to be the biggest single killer of African children. However, years of effort to improve malaria control programs are finally bearing fruit.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore, and hundreds of physicians, clergy and human rights advocates signed the Kill Malarial Mosquitoes NOW declaration, demanding that substantial funds be spent on indoor spraying with DDT,
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Quote:
Rural mothers have DDT in breast milk - study
Melanie Gosling
July 24 2006 at 04:56AM
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_i...3819434C666973
A study has found mothers tested in rural areas have pesticides, including DDT, in their breast milk.
Some of the women had 77 times the international limit for DDT residue in humans, while in some of the babies it was 12 times the World Health Organisation's acceptable daily intake.
These shock findings emerged as a new US study shows DDT in mothers is linked to delays in physical and mental development. The study is one of the first to link DDT with human developmental problems.
Banned in most countries because of its harmful effects on the environment, DDT is used in some parts of South Africa to kill malaria mosquitoes.
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http://patient.cancerconsultants.com/news.aspx?id=37668
Quote:
DDT Exposure Linked to Increased Rates of Liver Cancer
According to an article recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the pesticide known as DDT (1,1,1-Trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethane) appears to significantly increase the risk of developing cancers that originate in the liver.
I will sue Lukyamuzi over DDT � Tumwine
Monday, 24th July, 2006
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http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/511216
Quote:
Ken Lukyamuzi
By Esther Alalo
COURT Martial chief Gen. Elly Tumwine has vowed to sue Ken Lukyamuzi (right), accusing him of spreading lies on the use of DDT to eradicate malaria.
He said the Conservative Party (CP) chief had caused fear among the populace, preventing the Government from using DDT to save lives.
�Over 320 Ugandans die of malaria daily and about 120,000 annually and people like Lukyamuzi are discouraging the Government from using DDT. I will sue him,� he said.
Environmentalists have discouraged the use of DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloet-hane) in eradicating malaria, saying it is harmful to human health.
Tumwine said the western world was discouraging DDT use to ensure that Africans continue suffering and seeking foreign aid.
�Countries like South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe are using DDT and they have been successful in eradicating malaria,� Tumwine said.
Tumwine said DDT had been used in the past but there was no evidence that it had harmed humans.
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Tumwine said the ban on the use of DDT was politically-motivated.
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Quote:
DDT will harm our organic agricultural exports
Wednesday, 12th July, 2006
E-mail article E-mail article Print article Print article
Daniel Lukwago
Daniel Lukwago
Uganda is one of the Sub Sahara African countries with the greatest potential for organic farming because of her comparative advantage of having pollution free environment.
Through promotion of organic farming, small-holder farmers can learn the organic equivalents and apply them to raise productivity and quality of output for sale at premium prices, raising their incomes and reducing poverty. A good example is the organically grown cotton grown in Lira is sold to Phoenix in Uganda and exported to China with genuine organic label.
However, use of DDT against mosquitoes can adversely affect the country�s organic farming potential.
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http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/459/508890
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Michael
