What if 1 million white babies were dying every year?
The author argues that while DDT may be effective in preventing malaria, it is only one of many tools available. I’m sure she would feel the same way if every year 500 Americans were becoming infected with a painful, debilitating disease and 1 million white babies were dying. The author also completely ignores the issue of cost. DDT is not only one of the most effective tools for fighting malaria. It is one of the cheapest, significantly cheaper than the anti-malarial drugs she mentions. Cost matters in nations where most people live on less than a dollar a day. Also, in response to “Footnotes Please”, please consult the World Health Organization Malaria Factsheet: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs094/en/index.html 500 million people become infected with malaria every year.
