Name: 3 reasons we still haven’t gotten rid of malaria
Uploaded: 2013-09-12T15:01:25Z
Duration: 15 min 4 s
Description: We’ve known how to cure malaria since the 1600s, so why does the disease still kill hundreds of thousands every year? It’s more than just a problem of medicine, says journalist Sonia Shah. A look into the history of malaria reveals three big-picture challenges to its eradication. Photos: Adam Nadel.

We’ve known how to cure malaria since the 1600s, so why does the disease still kill hundreds of thousands every year? It’s more than just a problem of medicine, says journalist Sonia Shah. A look into the history of malaria reveals three big-picture challenges to its eradication. Photos: Adam Nadel.

3 reasons we still haven’t gotten rid of malaria

Malaria still infects hundreds of millions and kills over half a million people each year, despite centuries-old cures and clear prevention methods. The disease endures because its parasite is remarkably complex, the people most affected often see it as an ordinary part of life, and poverty deepens its grip. Attempts to control malaria from outside often fail to connect with local realities, leading to persistent political and cultural obstacles. True progress requires addressing the deeper living conditions that allow malaria to thrive.

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