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South Sudan's Votes Could Kill An Ancient Disease by Debora MacKenzie New Scientist 14 January 2011 http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19975-south-sudans-votes-could-kill-an-ancient-disease.html [moderator: to read the entire article please use the link above.] ... Besides creating a new country, this week's vote could make guinea worm the second human disease - after smallpox - to be eradicated. War and neglect have made south Sudan the worm's last stronghold. "If the political situation remains stable, we can stop it in 2012," says Makoy, director of the southern Sudan ministry of health's guinea worm eradication programme. ... The problem is still conflict, but it isn't between south and north, or even tribal, says Makoy. All 226 villages where people caught guinea worm last year suffered armed conflicts involving semi-nomadic herders over access to limited grazing and water. The disruption led both the campaign staff and those carrying the worms to flee, making it more difficult for staff to keep the worms away from water. An independent south Sudan might finally end these conflicts, especially with foreign aid expected to flood in. More resources for the herders' cattle, says Makoy, would remove the reasons for the fights that block anti- worm activities in the last infected villages: ironically, more water sources for cattle could be what defeats this water-borne disease. But final victory over guinea worm is far from assured. South Sudan is in ruins, and it is not yet clear how north and south will share crucial oil revenues after independence. Furthermore, refugees who fled the south years ago are returning with inflated expectations. Makoy fears that the euphoria generated by independence may backfire. "People will expect things to get better overnight, but they won't." If the government finds ways to channel the euphoria into action, though, he says "eradicating guinea worm will be the peace dividend we can give the world". ___________________________________________ Portside aims to provide material of interest to people on the left that will help them to interpret the world and to change it. Submit via email: [log in to unmask] Submit via the Web: http://portside.org/submittous3 Frequently asked questions: http://portside.org/faq Sub/Unsub: http://portside.org/subscribe-and-unsubscribe Search Portside archives: http://portside.org/archive Contribute to Portside: https://portside.org/donate