The Use of DDT in Africa

The African countries are fighting for the right to use DDT to eliminate mosquitoes. It seems that the European Union wants to impose sanction on any country that dare to use DDT. This is a slap in the face of African countries that are dying of malaria. DDT is one of the most important insecticides ever to appear in the market, but also one of the most controversial pesticides in the history. I do believe that the use of pesticide should ideally be based on the knowledge of what they accomplish and what effect they might have in the ecosystem.

Malaria was once a serious problem in America, but today it is practically non-existent, largely because of the use of DDT after the World War II. If the insect vector can be eliminated, malaria will today cease out in Africa. The only promising insecticide today is the DDT. According to the EPA website DDT is probable cancer causer. There is no one scientific study that has directly connected DDT to cancer! DDT does cause a thinning of the eggshell of birds, but there is little evidence that DDT residue is toxic or has major effect on human.

Trade, science, and capitalism shape modern pest control. Commercialization is creating a strong influence on what insecticide can be sold in the market. Rich companies in the west largely shape the market. Pesticides sells are chosen to fit the economic gain of these companies. Think about this for a minute, If DDT were to be used by the African countries today, who is going to buy all those medicines from these companies? They have to sell their products , right?

There is a double standard here. I wonder if the west will ever be willing to return to the middle ages where transmission of a preventable disease were constant ticket to the hospital beds? I think it is time that the western world should stop listening to the interest groups and pay attention to the millions of African children dying of malaria. If science is what provides tentative information about risk then we should pay attention to the numerous studies that have failed to determine the harmfulness of DDT.If you want to read more about the European Union sanctions go to www.fightingmalaria.org