Articles for
February 2005
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Scientists Clash Over DDT Use -
Evelyn Lirri & Jane Nafula
The arguing over whether or not to use DDT in Uganda continues ... while thousands die from malaria. Anti-DDT campaigners should realise that their unscientific and biased opposition to DDT costs lives and blights the futures of thousands of young Ugandans. |
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Fact and Comment -
Steve Forbes
Steve Forbes weighs in on DDT and pulls no punches. Great stuff. |
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Experts Defend DDT Use -
Evelyn Lirri & Asha Ntabadde
At last some sense on DDT use in Uganda. If the government had been allowed to start using DDT a year ago, when they wanted to, thousands of lives would have been saved. Instead the country has had to deal with absurd and unscientific opposition to DDT - from among others the European Union. |
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In Africa, a Plant's Twofold Promise -
Andrew England
Build a market and people will produce. The irony is that many of the aid agencies now so interested in artemisia, such as USAID, blocked the development of a market for so long. |
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WHO Warns of Malaria Drug Shortage -
Jason Beaubien
This National Public Radio audio story explores the World Health Organization's assertion that there will be a massive shortfall in a key malaria drug, artemisinin. |
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EU Warns on DDT -
New Vision
Guy Rijcken, the EU Charge d'Affaires has warned Uganda not to use DDT. His claims that DDT will find its way into the food chain, thereby threatening exports, is false and malicious and will no doubt lead to further death and disease in that country. Why doesn't he just admit that he is using the DDT issue as a trade barrier to protect the cosseted EU farmers? This disgraceful behaviour must stop. |
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Zimbabwe hunger claims 'US plot' -
BBC
As usual the Zimbabwean government blames someone else for the misery, hunger and ill health it is inflicting on its own people. As more and more people are going hungry, it will become increasingly difficult to prevent deaths from preventable diseases, such as malaria. |
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Select Month
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DDT not harmful - Museveni
2023-11-19 08:18:33
By Peter Nyanje, Arusha
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Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. |
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| Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has played down the assertion that DDT has adverse effects on human beings when used indoors.
Addressing a High Level Session of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on Wednesday, the Ugandan leader said scientists in his country had failed to establish that the pesticide was harmful.
“DDT is not harmful even if sprayed in homes. Our scientists in Uganda have conducted studies on this pesticide but have failed to corroborate their findings with those advocated by international environmentalists,” Museveni said.
He told the meeting that Uganda scientists had also failed to prove scientifically that DDT could find its way into the human body if used indoors.
As such, Museveni appealed to the Global Fund Board to think of DDT as an ideal weapon against malaria, saying the pesticide was the only compound, which had been proven effective in destroying mosquitoes.
“It is time DDT was used to control malaria … we cannot let our people die because of warnings issued by people who live in areas where there is no malaria,” he said.
Museveni also advocated the use of scientific methods in destroying mosquitoes, saying Ugandan experts had conducted a study and initial findings were encouraging.
The method involves a laboratory breeding of bugs. They are later unleashed into mosquito breeding grounds to eat larvae, thus controlling their multiplication, according to the Ugandan President.
“I once approached a former WHO director for assistance in this research but my country never received any funds.
We are determined though. We will fund the research ourselves… after all, we are the ones who die of malaria,” he said.
IPP Media
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