Medical/Public health interventions

[Warrior of Light]

Originally posted by STOIC:

Is it fair to ban DDT when the international community with all its might is not doing anything to fight malaria parasite other than preventive measures?.Do you think that DDT should be banned just because it is enviromental hazard to the birds? Should we meet human needs regardless of enviromental pollution or should we protect the water and the air we breath even if somehuman beings are dying by the thousands each year?.

Yes it should be banned. It been ages since we came to know of the adverse effect of DDT.And yet it is still used illegally in the rural parts of Africa(Yes, true coz its cheap remember cases in my home country). Why should it be banned has been used as poisons , humans have ingested it,also has polluted crops of the poor peasant who over the years accumulated it in his body. And as far as the sanitation systems dont really exist in African villages the freshwater bodies are polluted thus the flora and fauna affected. I remember South Africa was in the forefront crying out loud against its usage as it affected its Predatory bird wildlife. A conclusion reached by their hardwork, thorough and accurate observation of their natural habitat which alot of african countries cant even dream of doing so. Im humbled and admire to see what they did. Who knows what would have happened later in africa? Have villages full of sick people untreatable dying slowly? The few animals in their natural habitat disappearing thus loss in tourism the main economy earner in africa?

 

DDT maybe cheap but its affects last long. African nations and africans together need to return to the basics. We still dont have proper sanitation,waterworks, we have the vast perfect breeeding areas for mosquitos and nobody really cares. People are more concerned of their own personal precaution than clearing that new stream and eradicating the breeding places for the mosquitos. As far as I can remember during my primary and secondary education they taught us how 2 do the clearing and cleaning but ended there no action was taken. Its high time the people decided to clean their environment and stop waiting for our govts and foreign investors to do so.

As far as Tanzania is concerned we have researches done where millions are invested in cracking the mosquitos genes , trying to make vaccines. while the real culprit to be tackled is taking extra care of the environmental conditions, having the public play a role and the govt have programs 2 treat the wildlife. But unfortuately that never is the issue because who really wants to help africa??. The antimalarian medications used now in africa are highly resistant but still the WHO force them down our throats because they are cheap. CHEAPER versions of the required medications are not allowed to be manufactured in Africa > imperialism really.

 

Sorry if Im ranting but kinda tired of these wrong policies and funds channeled to satisfy the wests fancies. mALARIA kILLS MILLIONS in a year Tanzania for example we have 14-19 million people infected with malaria in a year. (Can check the facts on WHO WEBPAGE). My parasitology teachers were shocked when I gave them the facts.Malaria is the leading cause of death of mothers in africa. What we need isnt DDT what we need is a committee of scholars /thinktank - public health coordinators, parasitologists, environmentalists, engineers, ....politicans, publicists to come together and come up with something for the best interest of All africans shouldnt be for one nation but as a continent. And get the investors and greedy pharmaceutical companies to change their tactics and play a role in making the idea a reality. But I guess Im dreaming wont happen?? What about those fat checks and protuding bellies which the people in charge run after??

 

Anyway I know its possible doing it the hard way. By clearing the marshes and adding pesticides, prophylaxis to those vunerable and quarantine to malaria patients but using the appropriate dosage and RIGHT medication. Have wildlife monitored and treated. I know it needs money and manpower, which African nations claim they have not. But if everyone plays a role the manpower issue could be reduced the govt could pay for the medication/pesticides. And its a lot less compared to the money the western countries pay into Malaria research.

Turkey was among the last countries in western hemisphere to clear its land from the pest & parasite in 1932. The ironic thing is they also used DDT with mass education/ impowerization, It was the people who made the effort supervised by the new govt.They still have isolated cases of malaria as does italy and spain. and they are doin just fine. New cases of malaria are thoroughly examined people are quarantined and treated vigorously. If there is a possible reason to beleive its due to an environmental cause measures are taken.Also goes done to planning and good organisation skills and the determination to do whats right. In Africa unfortunately we still have individual goals to fulfill, people pocketing part of grants then claim that projects failed or give interesting data. Its a shame really.

 

I believe its possible to eradicate malaria without spoiling our beautiful african heritage WITH the polluting effects of DDT.

[raula]

^^^Hear Hear dada.

 

I wish I have the time to comment on this but will come back insha-allah with ample response. I concur with Warrior that DDT should absolutely not be put on the market again, simply due to its adverse effects as a pesticide/herbicide in agricultural sectors as well as "prior" usage on treating Malaria patients.

 

I also strongly side with SisSades(Warrior of Light) notion in that we need strong African, skilled philantropists to seriously implement FEASIBLE interventions that will proove successful. Indeed, we rely too much on international AID as well as our corrupt govts to supply the "daily bread" let alone eradicate pandemics.

 

STOIC-the question is plausible. Will discuss later.

Later nomads.

[STOIC]

The latest campaign to ban DDT stems from charges that DDT is an "endocrine disruptor" whose ability to cause harm is both indiscriminate and vast.So where did all the fuss start from?-if you may remember in 1962 Racheal book "Silent Spring" argued that DDT was poisoning both wildlife and environment.There is a contradictory statement about the effect of DDT within the scientific community.DR Amir Attaran a resercher at Havard center for international development, estimate that the amount of DDT used to spray a few acres of cotton in America during the era DDT, would be enough to spray all the homes in Guyana that are at risk of malaria endemic.He assets that such impact will have a neglible impact on the enviroment.This question is a question of choosing a priority and balancing risk.Some people may argue for case detection and medication (like sister Warrior of light)but this will only reduce mortality and not the cases of morbidity in poor countries.When you look at the most recent scientific studies about DDT they have yet to come up with a study linking DDT to breast cancer(as claimed before in the famous book "our stolen future"-remember that?).When Rachel Carson published her landmark study of the etiological damage caused by widespread use of DDT and other pesticides, it was a time of high enviromental alert in the USA.DDT should not be banned because the health benefit outweights the risks (i know this sounds scary to you!).In 1994 a study published in the "Journal of the national cancer institute", reserches concluded that their data did not support an association between DDT and breast cancer(check it out-Krieger, Haitt et al. Breast cancer and serum organochlorines april 20, 1994) There are other pesticides that works against malaria but they are as expensive as a doctors medical bill here in America!.Remember DDT is a one time application, this means alot to the poor people who can not afford to buy a preventive equipment (like nets and mosquito repelant).I know DDT is a has a long half-life and residues sometimes persisit for years in the enviroment but the amount of naturally ocuring estrogen dwarfs the amount of synthetic estrogen.

[raula]

^^^Stoic-Rachel’s book “Silent Spring†just stirred up the suspicious regarding the overuse of toxic environmental products. The tangle started with population control supporters, in 1960’s, blamed DDT for increasing third world population, hence {In the 1960s, World Health Organization authorities believed there was no alternative to the overpopulation problem but to assure than up to 40 percent of the children in poor nations would die of malaria. As an official of the Agency for International Development stated, "Rather dead than alive and riotously reproducing.â€} The environmental craze at time didn’t wanna be left behing as well. They were using DDT to increase their power as Chief Wurser, [chief scientist for the Environmental Defense Fund] commented "If the environmentalists win on DDT, they will achieve a level of authority they have never had before.. In a sense, much more is at stake than DDT." { Seattle Times, October 5, 1969 }. But the ultimate decision to ban DDT was not after an outcry of the flimsy read “Silent Spring†..check this out:

{William Ruckelshaus, the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency who made the ultimate decision to ban DDT in 1972, was a member of the Environmental Defense Fund. Ruckelshaus solicited donations for EDF on his personal stationery that read "EDF's scientists blew the whistle on DDT by showing it to be a cancer hazard, and three years later, when the dust had cleared, EDF had won."

William Ruckelshaus, the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency who made the ultimate decision to ban DDT in 1972, was a member of the Environmental Defense Fund. Ruckelshaus solicited donations for EDF on his personal stationery that read "EDF's scientists blew the whistle on DDT by showing it to be a cancer hazard, and three years later, when the dust had cleared, EDF had won."

William Ruckelshaus, the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency who made the ultimate decision to ban DDT in 1972, was a member of the Environmental Defense Fund. Ruckelshaus solicited donations for EDF on his personal stationery that read "EDF's scientists blew the whistle on DDT by showing it to be a cancer hazard, and three years later, when the dust had cleared, EDF had won."

But as an assistant attorney general, William Ruckelshaus stated on August 31, 1970 in a U.S. Court of Appeals that "DDT has an amazing an exemplary record of safe use, does not cause a toxic response in man or other animals, and is not harmful. Carcinogenic claims regarding DDT are unproven speculation." But in a May 2, 1971 address to the Audubon Society, Ruckelshaus stated, "As a member of the Society, myself, I was highly suspicious of this compound, to put it mildly. But I was compelled by the facts to temper my emotions ... because the best scientific evidence available did not warrant such a precipitate action. However, we in the EPA have streamlined our administrative procedures so we can now suspend registration of DDT and the other persistent pesticides at any time during the period of review." Ruckelshaus later explained his ambivalence by stating that as assistant attorney general he was an advocate for the government, but as head of the EPA he was "a maker of policy." }[ Barrons, 10 November 1975 ]

 

Now the fact still remains that DDT is harmful to its users and environment. It affects the nervous system when ingested in high doses(and poor African continents measuring doses, requires compliancy from the farmers side..however with no or less education many just estimate and some do not even follow instruction ..ofcourse, I wouldn’t as well..with all that mambo techno lingo-who is gonna have the time to read let alone comprehend), and causes excitability, seizures and tremors. DDT as well sticks strongly to soil; most DDT in soil is broken down slowly to DDE and DDD by microorganisms; half the DDT in soil will break down in 2-15 years, depending on the type of soil. In addition, DDT does not dissolve in water easily and a small amount enters ground water which can lead to contamination.

DDT, and especially DDE, build up in plants and in fatty tissues of fish, birds, and other animals. Some studies show that breastfeeding women cannot breastfeed their babies if DDT was found in their body, and sometimes it ends up leading to premature babies. In animals, it has been found to affect reproduction. { http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts35.html }

 

hope that helps

[raula]

I think I forgot to mention other Bio-environmental schemas can be implemented to treat and reduce the resistance factor. Such mechanisms are possible vector breeding grounds drainage, indoor residual spraying and insecticide-treated mosquito nets(<--this has been the best indicator so far if done accordingly).

 

Now change of subject. Check out this quote regarding Somalis and hypertention/Diabetes.

 

Hypertension, Diabetes in Somalis

 

Dr. Ahmed is familiar with Columbus’ Somali community and the health problems that plague them. Conditions seen most often in his clinic are obesity, osteoarthritis, diabetes, hypertension, depression, stress and cancer. These conditions are not unique to immigrants but they often do not develop until after the individuals have moved to the U.S.

“Out of the 3,800 patients I have seen from east Africa in a period of two years, 30 percent have developed diabetes since they have been in this country, some not necessarily associated with obesity. Very small weight gain seems to trigger diabetes,†states Ahmed.

The U.S. lifestyle is a major factor contributing to obesity. Western foods tend to be richer and higher in fat, calories, and sugar when compared to food in Somalia. Meal portions here are larger.

The women of this population are more at risk for obesity due to diets rich in carbohydrates, numerous pregnancies, and their sedentary life at home.

Cold weather restricts physical activity and most Somalis reside in apartments which can further limit activity. Obesity, while a serious condition in itself can lead to osteoarthritis, hypertension and some cases of diabetes.

Stress and depression is another health problem affecting many Somali immigrants. Some individuals are still dealing with past atrocities of war and torture. The new environment, new language, lack of employment, lack of social interaction, isolation and worry about family back home can cause serious emotional and mental disorders.

“At least half of my patient population from east African countries have some level of stress, anxiety and depression,†said Dr. Ahmed.

Residents in Columbus’ east African community hesitate to seek professional help. There are some pretty good guesses about the reasons. The health care system here is unfamiliar and often confusing. Most east African refugees and immigrants come from a country with no medical insurance system or organizations such as Medicaid and Medicare. Therefore they are unaware of how to use these programs to their advantage. On top of this, insurance costs are usually too high for most low income families. There is very little data to back up these guesses.

http://sph.osu.edu/article.cfm?ID=2168

[raula]

yet another relapse of mosquito transmitted disease-YELLOW FEVER. We are clinging on shoe-string trying to alleviate the capacity of the MALARIA pandemic and there we have again another mosquito cocktail-Subhanallah.

 

here is an alert from WHO regarding flares of YELLOW FEVER IN MALI & SUDAN

 

http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/yellowfev/CSR_ISR_2000_1/en/

[STOIC]

^^^I am doing a risk assesment on DDT,It's exposure assesment and risk characterization.I don't like so far what i have came across.May be my stance on using DDT to eradicate mosquitoes in the third world may change.I will be back with more DDT analysis.....

[raula]

^^^will be waiting for your analysis.

just found this on the net: link btwn Malaria and HIV in pregnant mothers(higher transmission rates and possible contraction of HIV).

 

 

http://www.scidev.net/sci.cfm?redir=http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/302/5649/1311a?ijkey=hQp7VlQtTSb2I&keytype=ref&siteid=sci

[J.Lee]

I'm doing a research on Fiber Disease (a result some speculate of a governmental bio experiment gone astray) for this seminar I’m being forced to participate in. Anyway, I just came across this video about it and I thought it be useful to post it on here. The scary thing about Fiber Disease is that it can’t even be detected by a doctor and it makes having AIDS seem more preferable and easy as childbirth without nary a complication. Furthermore, most people as I have come to find either deny its existence or aren’t even aware of this disease which is, mind you, spreading massively in, as the video states, most parts of the world, and nobody (and I do mean nobody) knows its means of transmission, whether it’s genetic or even contagious for research regarding the disease is sadly lacking due to funding problems.

 

P.S

I'm still working on my research paper so if any of you, good nomads, have heard of any new developments or have come across any articles regarding this disease please feel free to PM me.

 

Click on here to see The Video

[raula]

An article regarding Joint Pediatric TB vaccination w/HIV research in some parts of Africa.

 

http://www.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2012/Pages/AERAS.aspx

 

 

"According to the WHO, in 2010 TB sickened 8.8 million people and killed 1.4 million people worldwide. It is a leading cause of death among people who are also infected with HIV. In Africa, there were an estimated 2.3 million TB cases and 254,000 TB deaths in 2010."...

[raula]

Now this big..FDA gives priority to review TRUVADA (one of HIV/AIDS medication) to be used for PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis; as in HIV negative persons)..to reduce HIV/AIDS infections. From what i have heard..some studies were done in Africa-Botswana being one in heterosexual couples/individuals but they were inconclusive to general population & didn't show much improvement. However, some studies are being rolled out in USA-some states-MN being one if approved (by FDA in JUNE) to MSM (men who have sex w/men)populations. Here is the the article or some clips of it..via Gilead.

 

http://www.gilead.com/pr_1660616

 

so what implications will this have on community virus? (what in general population is know as HERD immunity etc?), as well drug effects to HIV negative populations as some of these meds can cause/have led to other physiological imbalances e.g. kidney/cardiovascular diseases etc? Not sure now but will see...

[raula]

when get' a chance, please check out this yahoo link via Time magazine cover Re: Breastfeeding.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/cutline/time-breastfeeding-cover-sparks-immediate-controversy-151539970.html

 

My perspective:-I think there is a fine line between incest & nurturing.....

[Malika]

Is there information on MS [multiple sclerosis] in Somali that any of you medics know? I found some in the MS society website - hadhee jiiraan anymore baal ii sheega.

[Coofle]

Malika;842081 wrote:

Is there information on MS [multiple sclerosis] in Somali that any of you medics know? I found some in the MS society website - hadhee jiiraan anymore baal ii sheega.

You can search in Somalidoc.com ... they got quite a good database there

[raula]

Malika;842081 wrote:

Is there information on MS [multiple sclerosis] in Somali that any of you medics know? I found some in the MS society website - hadhee jiiraan anymore baal ii sheega.

Not sure of MS links in somali except the UK link you got-but here are some research on the disease on either immigrants (mostly europeans/iranians etc) Vit D association & comparison btwn white & AFrican american MS patients in USA.

 

 

A nationwide survey of the prevalence of multiple sclerosis in immigrant populations of Sweden.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22207619

 

The emerging role of vitamin D binding protein in multiple sclerosis.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21042807

 

Rapid disease course in African Americans with multiple sclerosis

http://www.msif.org/en/research/ms_research_news/rapid_disease_co.html

 

http://www.msif.org/en/