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September 17, 2005

Reality check

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Charlotte Gott provides a reality check for Bono and Jeffrey Sachs in today's Washington Post.

"...the most telling moment came one morning, when an American ob—gyn I worked with began a discussion among health—care providers about what the developed world can do to help. She talked about health economist Jeffrey Sachs's U.N. Millennium Development Goals and his suggestion that the battle against malaria, Malawi's biggest killer, could be won if malaria nets were available to everyone in malaria—ridden countries.

No one at the meeting thought so. First of all, only a few of the providers themselves used nets and rarely advocated their use. Sure, people will take free nets if they are given out. But will they sleep under them? That's not as likely. Some Malawians believe they cause impotence; others say they feel hotter sleeping under nets; and some use them as fishing nets."

Richard Baehr   4 16 05