DDT and Malaria

The Economic Analysis of DDT

Economic Costs of Malaria

		             Cost (in Rand)	% of Total
Indirect Costs	
        Productivity Costs	5,082,550	41
			
Direct Costs	
        Malaria Tests	         595,167	5
	Evacuation Costs	 2,794,000	22
	Drug Costs	         640,349	5
	Physician/Nurse Time     2,122,577	17
	Hospital Costs	         1,197,737	10 

References

Attaran, Amir, and Rajendra Maharaj. "DDT for Malaria Control should not be banned." British Medical Journal 321 (2000).

Brown, David. "WHO Urges Use of DDT in Africa." Washington Post 16 Sept. 2006: A9.

Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. New York: Houston Mifflin Company, 2002

DDT Regulatory History: A Brief Survey (to 1975). History. 2007. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. <http://www.epa.gov/history/topics/ddt/02.htm>.

Larsen, Kim. “Bad Blood.” On Earth. December, 2007: 3. http://www.onearth.org/article/bad-blood?page=3.

Levy, Sharon. "Mosquito Modifications: New Approaches to Controlling Malaria." BioScience 57 (2007): 816-21.

Liroff, Richard. "Commentary: Reduction and elimination of DDT should proceed slowly."British Medical Journal 321 (2000).

McGinn, Roberts, and Trankina are all from the same book entitled “Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Environmental Issues” Twelfth Edition Ed. Thomas A. Easton. McGraw-Hill Contemporary Learning Studies, 2008.

Pesticides News No.40, June 1998, p18-20 http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/Actives/ddt.html.

Silberner, Joanne. “WHO Backs Use of DDT Against Malaria.” NPR, 13 November 2008. www.npr.org.

Szaflarski, Diane. “Effects of DDT.” Cruising Chemistry. http://www.chem.duke.edu/~jds/cruise_chem/pest/effects.html.

Tren, Richard, and Roger Bate. “Malaria and the DDT Story.” The Institute of Economic Affairs, London: 2001.

Tren, Richard. "The Economic Costs of Malaria in South Africa." http://www.malaria.org/tren.html.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. “DDT Regulatory History: A Brief Survey (to 1975).” 12 November 2008. http://www.epa.gov/history/topics/ddt/02.htm.

Urquilla, Janelle. “Before and After DDT.” DMJT’s View on DDT. http://warrensburg.k12.mo.us/ew/ddt/tracy.html.

Urquilla, Janelle. “DDT’s Effects on the Earth and Humans.” DMJT’s View on DDT. < http://warrensburg.k12.mo.us/ew/ddt/janelle.html>.

Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane, commonly known as DDT, is a pesticide that has been banned in the United States, Europe, and many other countries. Currently it is used for an emergency basis in many developing countries, such as Africa and South America, for combatting Malaria. We will be focusing on Sub-saharan Africa and their uses of pesticides, specifically DDT, to battle Malaria. We understand the externality costs on the health of humans and wildlife, but in these extenuating circumstances we support the use of DDT as a lesser of two evils. By analyizing the costs and benefits of using DDT in these third world countries, we have found that the use of DDT has lower monetary costs. The risk of humans contracting Malaria, has higher economic costs that hinder the development of the country. It is common in Sub-Saharan African countries, for the citizens to be more concerned with their conditions rather than factors that could effect their health later in life. However, we hope to also stress the necessity of devloping alternative technology that could become viable in the future to eliminate Malaria .