From time to time we post a poll on the MalariaWorld platform. To gauge the views of our subscribers on certain (often controversial) issues. Voting is anonymous and the results are immediately visible, also to those who do note vote. The results are nearly always very interesting, and, I should add, contrasting with what we are made to believe by higher powers.
85% of you thought that searching for new insecticides is not the way forward. Instead you chose for the option to search alternatives.
83% considered the search for new public health pesticides futile.
42% of you believe that we can eliminate malaria from Africa if sufficient funds are available.
76% think that containment of artemisinin-resistant malaria in Asia is not going to succeed.
100% of you believe that malaria deaths by 2015 will not be zero.
These figures are pretty amazing. There is one big 'but' though. The number of responses we get remains very low, making the power of these figures small. Imagine if not 34 of you favoured the search for alternatives rather than new insecticides but 340. That would mean a different thing altogether. Having a large number of MalariaWorld subscribers respond to polls means that we can actually use these data to try to make a difference. Use them to convince policy makers, or communicate with key stakeholders that have differing views.
So here's our plea. Please let us have your opinion and vote. Votes matter, votes count. So what do you think of the most recent one: Should tea from Artemisia annua be deployed as a prophylactic?
Enjoy this week's MalariaWorld - the MW team.