America had an African malaria problem
From where we stand in America, Africa seems so far away – an ocean and plagues of malaria, tuberculosis and tropical diseases away. Yet merely a hundred years ago, the southern United States had similar rates of malaria running rampant through its warm climate.
So what happened? The US eradicated malaria through mosquito nets and draining the swamps that bred infected mosquitoes. But what of Africa? Dr. Lachlan Forrow discussed the issue in his seminar “Moral Responsibility and Health Disparities in the U.S. and Africa: Lessons from Dr. Albert Schweitzer” this afternoon.
Economically, it’s relatively cheap to prevent malaria using the same techniques that we used in America, and these techniques are known to be effective. So we have the measures to eradicate it – Dr. Forrow even mentioned a malaria vaccine that will be tested in a randomized clinical trial on March 31 – but the progress in Africa has not been anything like that experienced in the southern US.
So what is limiting us from helping Africa eradicate malaria? Are we morally obligated at all to help them?
–Asra Shaik
March 14th, 2009 at 9:33 am
The second part of the question should be attempted before we even try to tackle the sensitive issue of WHY we are not taking appropriate actions in Africa and other afflicted areas.
The Minimum Conception of Morality (by an author I cannot remember… Rachels?) describes morality in two main points: impartiality and reason. If I look at this situation as an impartial being, I can deduce that we ought attempt to help any living being granted its not at a greater moral detriment to ourselves. To look at this situation with reason, it is very hard to overlook the consequences of not helping these individuals – we have to think about the greater good. Therefore, according to some philosophers (who are usually the ethical higher-ups ), they agree that this is our moral responsibility to help these people to the best of our ability. However…
Something called ethical egoism, in which some philosophers believe is the best way to conduct moral decisions, prevents us from even thinking about the struggles of malaria in Africa. Ethical egoism preaches that what is moral is anything that is in your own self-interest. For most individuals in wealthy countries, helping eradicate malaria in a country that is not their own certainly may not be their own self-interest… so, this would make helping anyone immoral? It’s hard to believe, but it is a philosophical argument.
So, why haven’t we eradicated Malaria in Africa? I have absolutely no clue.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Want to help: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=2333178829
or
http://www.nothingbutnets.net/