Watching weather could predict malaria epidemics
Spraying insecticide to ward off malaria-carrying mosquitoes
Zablon Odhiambo
1 February 2006
Source: SciDev.Net
[NAIROBI] Malaria epidemics could be predicted up to five months ahead
using a special combination of climate models, say researchers.
In a study published by Nature today (1 February), Tim Palmer of the
UK-based European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts and
colleagues say the predictions could be used to strategically target
insecticides and drugs to regions at risk of an outbreak.
The study was based on an early-warning system developed by Botswana's
National Malaria Control Programme. The system uses information about
rainfall, health surveillance and the population's vulnerability to
malaria to detect unusual changes in seasonal patterns of disease.
By using a combination of climate models, Palmer's team eliminated
uncertainties in the system's predictions. To prove their new approach,
they tried retrospectively predicting malaria epidemics in Botswana from
1982 to 2002.
The method showed "very substantial levels of predictive skill", says
Palmer.
The team found that the risk of an epidemic in Botswana rises just
after a season of heavy rainfall and that temperature and rainfall drive
the abundance of both mosquitoes and parasites.
"This study demonstrates that judicious use of climate information is
an important factor in reducing the impact of this devastating disease,"
says Charles Delacollette of the WHO Global Malaria Programme.
Palmer points out that his team's method only applies to areas where
malaria occurs in climate-related epidemics and not in areas where the
disease is a year-round problem.
Although epidemic malaria accounts for only a small proportion of cases
worldwide, it can be important at a regional level, contributing to a
significant rise of cases and deaths.
Following Botswana's lead, other countries in sub-Saharan Africa are
now developing early-warning systems.
"My colleagues are developing our methods for Zimbabwe, South Africa,
Swaziland and Zimbabwe," says Palmer. "Some research is being done for
the more complex terrain of Kenya, though here the results are less well
developed."
Sam Ocholla, head of malaria control at the Kenyan health ministry,
says a system they are piloting can detect epidemics within two weeks of
their onset, but cannot make accurate predictions.
"We are yet to find a model that is 100 per cent effective," he told
SciDev.Net.
"The link between climate and malaria incidence is more complex in
Kenya than in Botswana," explains Palmer.
"In Kenya, both seasonal temperature and seasonal rainfall are
important, whereas in Botswana seasonal rainfall is the single most important
variable, and the effects of temperature are minimal."
Friday, February 10, 2006
Deforestation causes malaria
Amazon studies link malaria to deforestation
Both studies found that deforestation increases the risk of malaria
transmission
Luisa Massarani and Mike Shanahan
30 January 2006
Source: SciDev.Net
[RIO DE JANEIRO] Two studies in the Amazon rainforest have shown a link
between deforestation and an increased risk of malaria. The findings
have implications for health management and environmental policy in the
region.
According to research published today (30 January), the clearing of
trees in Brazil's Amazon region to create new settlements increases the
short-term risk of malaria by creating areas of standing water in which
mosquitoes can lay their eggs.
The study, in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also
found that once agriculture and urban development are established in
frontier regions, this habitat declines and malaria transmission rates fall.
"Malaria mitigation strategies for frontier settlements require a
combination of preventive and curative methods and close collaboration
between the health and agricultural sectors," say the team led by Marcia
Caldas de Castro of the University of South Carolina, United States.
The study comes less than a month after one in neighbouring Peru showed
that malaria epidemics in the Amazon were linked to deforestation. The
findings appeared in January's issue of the American Journal of
Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
The study showed that the biting rate of Anopheles darlingi, the
Amazon's main malaria-spreading mosquito, was nearly 300 times greater in
cleared areas than forested ones.
"Most people think malaria is on the rise simply because the mosquito
feeds on the increasing numbers of humans in the rainforest. But our
results show that altering the landscape likely plays an even larger role
than people moving into the jungle", says lead researcher Jonathan
Patz, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States.
Patz says the fact that deforestation may affect the prevalence of a
disease like malaria raises some larger issues.
"I feel conservation policy is one and the same with public health
policy. It's probable that protected conservation areas may ultimately be
an important tool in our disease prevention strategies," he says.
Both studies found that deforestation increases the risk of malaria
transmission
Luisa Massarani and Mike Shanahan
30 January 2006
Source: SciDev.Net
[RIO DE JANEIRO] Two studies in the Amazon rainforest have shown a link
between deforestation and an increased risk of malaria. The findings
have implications for health management and environmental policy in the
region.
According to research published today (30 January), the clearing of
trees in Brazil's Amazon region to create new settlements increases the
short-term risk of malaria by creating areas of standing water in which
mosquitoes can lay their eggs.
The study, in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also
found that once agriculture and urban development are established in
frontier regions, this habitat declines and malaria transmission rates fall.
"Malaria mitigation strategies for frontier settlements require a
combination of preventive and curative methods and close collaboration
between the health and agricultural sectors," say the team led by Marcia
Caldas de Castro of the University of South Carolina, United States.
The study comes less than a month after one in neighbouring Peru showed
that malaria epidemics in the Amazon were linked to deforestation. The
findings appeared in January's issue of the American Journal of
Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
The study showed that the biting rate of Anopheles darlingi, the
Amazon's main malaria-spreading mosquito, was nearly 300 times greater in
cleared areas than forested ones.
"Most people think malaria is on the rise simply because the mosquito
feeds on the increasing numbers of humans in the rainforest. But our
results show that altering the landscape likely plays an even larger role
than people moving into the jungle", says lead researcher Jonathan
Patz, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States.
Patz says the fact that deforestation may affect the prevalence of a
disease like malaria raises some larger issues.
"I feel conservation policy is one and the same with public health
policy. It's probable that protected conservation areas may ultimately be
an important tool in our disease prevention strategies," he says.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Scrap Mining Act!
January 31, 2005
"Filipinos will gain so much and nothing to lose in scrapping the
Mining Act"
"There is no truth that the foreign mining investment is helping the
economy. The millions of dollars investment poured in mining until now do
not generate income to the government and to the people. Under the
liberalization policies of the government, foreigners are allowed to
exploit our mineral resources at a bargain. What actually happening are the
fast depletion of our mineral resources by foreign transnational mining
companies (mining TNCs) and the looming danger of environmental
tragedies all over the country," said Clemente Bautista of Defend Patrimony.
Defend Patrimony is multi-sectoral alliance campaigning against the
mining liberalization and large-scale mining projects of the government.
Yesterday, Malacanang and big mining business said the repeal of Mining
Act and cancellation of mining permits being called by CBCP will create
economic backlash to the country.
"The statement of Benjamin Romualdez that cancellation of operations
and projects of mining TNC's projects and operations will displace 10
million people is mere hot air. The mining industry up to now dismally
employs less than 1% (120,000) of the labor force and most of these are
from the small scale mining and quarrying. In terms of Gross National
Product (GNP), the contribution of mining industry is just less than
2%," added by Mr. Bautista.
Defend Patrimony said that the real reason why foreign investors are
coming into the mining industry is because the government have granted
them economic privileges and rights such as 100% repatriation of capital
and profit, 5 to 9 years of income tax holidays, duty free
importation, and rights to water and timber.
"These privileges and rights allowed mining TNCs to extract and export
billion dollars worth of minerals annually while the people are left
with pollution, toxic waste and health hazards from mining operations.
The mine tragedies in Marinduque, Negros Oreintal and Samar are some
living proof of this mining devastation. We have so much to gain and
nothing to lose if we cancel the large-scale mining projects of mining TNCs
and scrap the Mining Act."
Defend Patrimony are working with Bayan Muna and Sen. Jamby Madrigal to
repeal the Mining Act of 1995. They are also proposing the formulation
of Alternative People's Mining Policy that will serve as the framework
of mining development for genuine economic progress and environmental
protection.###
"Filipinos will gain so much and nothing to lose in scrapping the
Mining Act"
"There is no truth that the foreign mining investment is helping the
economy. The millions of dollars investment poured in mining until now do
not generate income to the government and to the people. Under the
liberalization policies of the government, foreigners are allowed to
exploit our mineral resources at a bargain. What actually happening are the
fast depletion of our mineral resources by foreign transnational mining
companies (mining TNCs) and the looming danger of environmental
tragedies all over the country," said Clemente Bautista of Defend Patrimony.
Defend Patrimony is multi-sectoral alliance campaigning against the
mining liberalization and large-scale mining projects of the government.
Yesterday, Malacanang and big mining business said the repeal of Mining
Act and cancellation of mining permits being called by CBCP will create
economic backlash to the country.
"The statement of Benjamin Romualdez that cancellation of operations
and projects of mining TNC's projects and operations will displace 10
million people is mere hot air. The mining industry up to now dismally
employs less than 1% (120,000) of the labor force and most of these are
from the small scale mining and quarrying. In terms of Gross National
Product (GNP), the contribution of mining industry is just less than
2%," added by Mr. Bautista.
Defend Patrimony said that the real reason why foreign investors are
coming into the mining industry is because the government have granted
them economic privileges and rights such as 100% repatriation of capital
and profit, 5 to 9 years of income tax holidays, duty free
importation, and rights to water and timber.
"These privileges and rights allowed mining TNCs to extract and export
billion dollars worth of minerals annually while the people are left
with pollution, toxic waste and health hazards from mining operations.
The mine tragedies in Marinduque, Negros Oreintal and Samar are some
living proof of this mining devastation. We have so much to gain and
nothing to lose if we cancel the large-scale mining projects of mining TNCs
and scrap the Mining Act."
Defend Patrimony are working with Bayan Muna and Sen. Jamby Madrigal to
repeal the Mining Act of 1995. They are also proposing the formulation
of Alternative People's Mining Policy that will serve as the framework
of mining development for genuine economic progress and environmental
protection.###
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