The disease kills up to three million people every year and makes up to 500 million people sick. As DDT is one of the cheapest and most effective options available to poor countries, they should not be discouraged from using DDT spray programmes aimed at preventing malaria. Luckily, the chemical has been exempted from the Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, a legally binding international treaty being signed this week that will greatly restrict the worldwide use of 12 chemicals, he said. But poor countries were still being pressured by international environmental groups and donor agencies to stop using DDT in their public health programmes, he added. Download your copy in PDF format Malaria kills millions of people each year and hundreds of millions more suffer chronic illness.
Economic development is inhibited and poverty is perpetuated.
Tren and Bate argue that action against malaria is over-centralised and narrowly focused, ignoring local conditions and concerns. Health agencies in developing countries and some companies are trying to stem a resurgent tide of malaria. A continuing anti-DDT campaign would have as its victims people in some of the world's poorest countries.