Malaria is a widespread disease occurring predominantly in warm, humid climates that is transmitted by mosquitoes. Malaria is preventable, treatable and curable, but at least 300 million acute cases of malaria exist globally at any given time, resulting in more than one million deaths per year. Nine out of ten malaria deaths occur in Africa south of the Sahara Desert, mostly in young children and pregnant women, according to AllAfrica (2005). An African child dies from malaria every thirty seconds.
Reduction in mosquito populations reduces malaria cases and deaths, and the chemical DDT is very effective at eradicating mosquitoes. However, DDT has been banned from use in most countries in the last 30 years because it accumulates in birds and fish and leads to weaken egg shells is some notable birds such as the bald eagle. Banning DDT in the US is credited with the rapid recovery of bald eagle populations. However, Bate (2005) calls for a reassessment of the use of DDT since it is so effective in saving lives. This presents a dilemma for environmentalists.
Global warming would bring warm and humid conditions to more terrestrial regions of the globe, most of which are in less developed regions (regions not having contributed strongly to the anthropogenic fraction of global warming). Of the winners and losers of global warming, as far as human health is concerned these regions are losers.
References
AllAfrica, 2005: ExxonMobil grants $5M to combat malaria in Africa. http://allafrica.com/stories/200502010325.html
Bate, R., 2005: Personal
view: Health agencies must stop demonising DDT -- it saves lives.