Venezuela Returns to the Past

Patrickt · Aug 15, 2016

"Venezuela was the first nation in the world to becertified by the World Health Organization for eradicating malaria in its most populated areas, beating the United States and other developed countries to that milestone in 1961.

It was a huge accomplishment for a small nation, one that helped pave Venezuela’s development as an oil power and fueled hopes that a model to stamp out malaria across the globe was at hand. Since then, the world has dedicated enormous amounts of time and money to beating back the disease, with deaths plummeting by 60 percent in places with malaria in recent years, according to the W.H.O.

But in Venezuela, the clock is running backward. The country
has brought malaria back, sweeping the disease out of the remote jungle areas where it quietly persisted and spreading it around the nation at levels not seen in Venezuela for 75 years, medical experts say."
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/15/world/venezuela-malaria-mines.html

"...deaths plummeting by 60 percent in places with malaria in recent years, according to the W.H.O." That's using liberal math, of course, where first you jack up the deaths, or the unemployment, or the deficit to amazing heights and then you can claim a massive decrease. The fact remains that from when many countries were approaching an actual eradication of malaria, and the associated mosquitoes, William Ruckleshaus single-handedly reverse the course.

William Ruckleshaus and the "Save the Mosquitoes" folks are getting what they want. Millions of deaths from malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases.

joG · Aug 15, 2016

Patrickt said:
"Venezuela was the first nation in the world to becertified by the World Health Organization for eradicating malaria in its most populated areas, beating the United States and other developed countries to that milestone in 1961.

It was a huge accomplishment for a small nation, one that helped pave Venezuela’s development as an oil power and fueled hopes that a model to stamp out malaria across the globe was at hand. Since then, the world has dedicated enormous amounts of time and money to beating back the disease, with deaths plummeting by 60 percent in places with malaria in recent years, according to the W.H.O.

But in Venezuela, the clock is running backward. The country
has brought malaria back, sweeping the disease out of the remote jungle areas where it quietly persisted and spreading it around the nation at levels not seen in Venezuela for 75 years, medical experts say."
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/15/world/venezuela-malaria-mines.html

"...deaths plummeting by 60 percent in places with malaria in recent years, according to the W.H.O." That's using liberal math, of course, where first you jack up the deaths, or the unemployment, or the deficit to amazing heights and then you can claim a massive decrease. The fact remains that from when many countries were approaching an actual eradication of malaria, and the associated mosquitoes, William Ruckleshaus single-handedly reverse the course.

William Ruckleshaus and the "Save the Mosquitoes" folks are getting what they want. Millions of deaths from malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases.

It is the Chavez Effect making a fundamentally rich country perform stunts.

Patrickt · Aug 15, 2016

joG said:
It is the Chavez Effect making a fundamentally rich country perform stunts.

Possibly, but leftists in a huge, really rich and powerful country can really screw over people in smaller, less wealthy countries. Hugo Chavez has ****ed Venezuelans. William Ruckleshaus and the Save the Mosquitoes folks have screwed millions around the world. They are so proud. And William Ruckleshaus is still alive and avoiding countries plagued by malaria.

joG · Aug 15, 2016

Patrickt said:
Possibly, but leftists in a huge, really rich and powerful country can really screw over people in smaller, less wealthy countries. Hugo Chavez has ****ed Venezuelans. William Ruckleshaus and the Save the Mosquitoes folks have screwed millions around the world. They are so proud. And William Ruckleshaus is still alive and avoiding countries plagued by malaria.

It sounds to me like a mix of issues. But I would have thought that the main one is the lack of funds to keep up the health measures and the flight to the mines of white collar people that have lost their jobs due to social programs that overtaxed the country, when a normal external shock hit.

Patrickt · Aug 15, 2016

joG said:
It sounds to me like a mix of issues. But I would have thought that the main one is the lack of funds to keep up the health measures and the flight to the mines of white collar people that have lost their jobs due to social programs that overtaxed the country, when a normal external shock hit.

You don't think killing off malarial mosquitoes sixty years ago might have helped? Hugo Chavez and his minions have a lot to be blamed for but the global millions who have died the last fifty years, and the ones in Venzuela now, are a gift from William Ruckleshaus and the Save the Mosquito folks.

joG · Aug 15, 2016

Patrickt said:
You don't think killing off malarial mosquitoes sixty years ago might have helped? Hugo Chavez and his minions have a lot to be blamed for but the global millions who have died the last fifty years, and the ones in Venzuela now, are a gift from William Ruckleshaus and the Save the Mosquito folks.

Oh, killing the mosquitos back then was a good basis. But Chavez and his followers did not maintain the situation, while it regained epidemic weight and contagion in the mines seems to have exacerbated it. So yes. I suspect, but do not know, that Chavez destruction of the economic basis led to less cash for maintenance and that to an increase in malaria incidence.