The chemical has been banned or restricted in many countries for decades, after scientists proved that it could cause reduced fertility, genital birth defects, cancer, diabetes and damage to developing brains.
A 2007 study on male fertility in South Africa found that men who lived in houses sprayed with DDT had extremely high levels of it in their blood and low semen volume and sperm counts.
However, the World Health Organisation recommends DDT for indoor residual spray programmes to control malaria.
“DDT should be re-introduced. This chemical is strong and it eradicates mosquitoes instantly,” said Councillor Benjamin Ndlovu. Councillors Phinious Ndlovu, James Sithole, Clayton Zana and Reuben Matengu concurred, saying it was the only way the council could fight mosquitoes to prevent malaria. A decision has not yet been reached, said the deputy mayor.
There are fears that Bulawayo might now be a malaria transmission zone, following reports that some people who had not left Bulawayo for a long time were suffering from the disease.
Border areas such as Manicaland, Mudzi, Beitbridge, Victoria Falls and Kariba have always been considered the most vulnerable to malaria, which is one of the world’s most deadly diseases, killing about 880,000 people every year, mostly children in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the WHO.
Post published in: News
The comment ” scientists proved that it could cause reduced fertility, genital birth defects, cancer, diabetes and damage to developing brains” is profoundly false. Scientists, even after 60 years of unrelenting effort, have proved none of these claims. Claims are made, but the evidence supporting those claims is weak, inconsistent, and, in some instances, fraudulent. It is for these reasons the WHO still recommends DDT for use in malaria control programs. DDT is the single most effective chemical for control of malaria, and it is still needed for use in modern malaria control programs.