TED: Sonia Shah: 3 reasons we still haven’t gotten rid of malaria
Enlightening lecture on the history of malaria and why it remains such an elusive scourge to solve… The top 3: 1) Cultural issues – it is so common that 3rd world locals view it as hopeless to resolve, just as we do the flu – why even bother using a mosquito net; 2) poverty = rudimentary housing in remote regions with no roads or clinics; 3) malaria virus has SEVEN stages – how do you design a vaccine to attack all SEVEN stages?
Science historian Sonia Shahexplores the surprisingly fascinating story behind an ancient scourge: malaria.
Aided by economics, culture, its own resilience and that of the insect that carries it (the mosquito), the malaria parasite has determined for thousands of years the health and course not only of human lives, but also of whole civilizations. In her book The Fever, author Sonia Shah outlines the epic and devastating history of malaria and shows how it still infects 500 million people every year, and kills half a million, in a context where economic inequality collides with science and biology.
Shah’s previous book The Body Hunters established her as a heavy hitter in the field of investigative human rights reporting. She is a frequent contributor to publications such asScientific American, The Nation and Foreign Affairs.
Chez Froggie 