By Judi McLeod
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Imagine a tobacco company stepping up to the plate against Ugandan mothers and children dying by the millions of malaria.
"Just days after the World Health Organization announced new policies to control the spread of malaria, British american Tobacco (BaT) has emerged as the leader and financier of efforts to undermine those policies," the Congress of Racial Equality charged yesterday.
"BaT's actions are unconscionable," said CORE international director Cyril Boynes, Jr. "They will prolong a vicious disease that infects 12 million Ugandans every year and kills them at the rate of nearly 300 a day. "
Worldwide, malaria infects 500 million people and kills up to 2 million every year, the vast majority in africa--and most of them children.
On September 15, WHO malaria director Dr. arata Kochi made an emotional plea for people to "help save african babies" by supporting the global health agency's decision to re-emphasize DDT in combating malaria. along with the USaID and health ministers in many countries, WHO intends to use small amounts of the chemical to keep disease-carrying mosquitoes out of homes.
Hard hit Uganda wants to follow the example of South africa, which slashed its malaria rates by 75% in just 18 months, by spraying tiny amounts of DDT on the inside walls of houses. This method is entirely safe for people and the environment, Dr. Kochi emphasized.
Ugandan Health Ministry officials likely never dreamed that they would run into resistance from business interests, claiming that traces of DDT on their products could adversely affect their trade with Europe. Those interests are led and financed by BaT.
all the more frustrating for Ugandan mothers is that the concerns expressed have no basis in fact.
"European Commission President Barroso has clearly said no food or other exports would be affected, unless they have DDT residues above prescribed limits," said Boynes. "That is extremely unlikely under the WHO programs and, if it ever does happen, only that specific shipment would be affected.
"BaT's actions pit its narrow business interests against people's lives," said Nigel Innis, national spokesman for CORE.
"BaT makes billions of dollars annually, Innis noted, "selling carcinogenic tobacco products to africans, Europeans and america. Then it claims a life-saving chemical might cause low birth weights in babies or harm its bottom line. It won't. But not using it will kill african mothers and children. "
BaT has no real fear on its bottom line having earned $4.7 billion in profits last year, on sales of $18 billion. Somewhat ironically, Over 16% of those sales came from tobacco sales in the Dark Continent.
"There is nothing more basic than the right to health and life," said Innis. "The company needs to take a refresher course in ethics, human rights and social responsibility. "
For the people of Uganda, BaTS' campaign couldn't have happened at a worse time.
anti-malaria activists in Uganda, who have asked the company to support the Ugandan Health Ministry's decision to use DDT for malaria control--and help ensure that the chemical is used properly and not diverted for agricultural use--point out that archbishop Desmond Tutu and Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore, fully support indoor spraying with DDT to prevent malaria. The list of supports also includes hundreds of physicians, disease experts, religious leaders and human rights advocates. Even organizations like Environmental Defense and Sierra Club have belatedly agreed to support DDT use to save lives.
"BaT has blood on its hands", says Innis.
Surely saving millions of lives is more vital than pumping up the profit line of a major tobacco company.
Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com
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