Africa fooled on Mosquito/Malaria Control? (16)
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I am all for the idea. I would like to contribute on the impact
of malaria on the African peoples. As I mentioned earlier the
malaria selection pressure in our populations is perhaps best
exemplified by the prevalence of the G6PD deficiency and the
Duffy antigen across the continent. How Africans have come to
grasp and to deal with the high child mortality rates is also of
great interest.
Is there a perceived need or how does the African mind rational-
ize this staggering toll? Is science and research anticipated to
play a role in the African worldview? If so, what role and how?
If not, why not and what are the paradigms that inform this
view? How can we deal with them?
I am sure you will all agree with me that the reason we are
still dealing with malaria as a major public health concern is
because we are over dependent on the donor community and WHO.
The reason I ask the above questions is because I believe the
lack of money is not the only or the main reason for our current
predicament. I have found that we are often working against well
established albeit unwritten paradigms that ultimately undermine
if not nullify our efforts in research & development.
I hope by tackling these questions which border on history, phi-
losophy and sociology, we may finally break out of the circle of
escalating mortality/morbidity> international intervention> do-
nor fatigue> rising mortality/morbidity.
Lastly, perhaps its not just Africa that has been fooled but the
WHO may also have been duped by leading "experts" much like the
fabled emperor who was led to believe that he was wearing
clothes made from magical silk which was the finest in the
world. So fine was the cloth that only truly enlightened eyes
and the noblest souls could truly gaze on it and see its wonder-
ful hues, not to mention the beautiful embroidery. It was only
when the King decided to parade his new costume in the streets
that a little child's innocent observation "The Emperor is NA-
KED" brought sanity back to the palace. Maybe we should title
the book - "The Emperor is NAKED" for the WHO and the other
leading experts to realize just how exposed we remain to inocu-
lative mosquito bites in spite of the highly lauded ITNs.
Robert Karanja
mailto:RKaranja@kemri.org