Story: World Health Organization Uses Controversial Insecticide to Combat Malaria, 09/18/06
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec06/ddt_9-18.html

Reading Comprehension Questions:

1. What endorsement did the World Health Organization recently make?

2. Why is this endorsement controversial?

3. What is indoor residual spraying?

4. How is malaria contracted? How does it impact the body?

5. If there are drugs to treat malaria, why use DDT?

6. Why was DDT use banned?

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1. According to group called Beyond Pesticides DDT "causes greater long-tem problems than those that are being addressed in the short-term."

The Sierra Club said, "Malaria kills millions of people and when there are no other alternatives to indoor use of DDT, and where that use will be well-monitored and controlled, we support it."

What do you think? Is this new WHO policy a good one? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning.

2. How does stopping the spread of malaria in Africa impact your life? Should eliminating malaria be important to you? Explain.

3. One problem in the fight against malaria is that when the same drug is used in a widespread manner to combat a disease, strains of the disease develop resistance to that drug. How does this relate to AIDS and other diseases in the United States? Talk a doctor in your community and find out how this problem could affect you and what you can do about it.

Write a 300-500 word essay on any of these topics providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra (extra@newshour.org). Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site.