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dam-l BBC on dams & malaria/LS

This is  from the BBC. sorry for x-postings.
>>
>>Friday, September 10, 1999 Published at 00:19 GMT 01:19 UK
>>
>>
>>Health
>>
>>Irrigation 'increases malaria rates'
>>
>>Irrigation programmes to restore the fertility of drought-stricken Ethiopia
>>have caused a seven-fold increase in the rate of malaria, researchers have
>>said.
>>
>>The researchers warn that before large-scale projects are launched, an
>>assessment of the health impact should be made, and action taken to
>>prevent diseases from gaining a foothold.
>>
>>However, they stress that such schemes are vital to boost agriculture in
>>famine-hit areas.
>>
>>The problem occurs because water can carry disease and provides a
>>breeding ground for the mosquitoes that transmit it to humans.
>>
>>In the rush to provide better water facilities, organisations can neglect to
>>prepare communities for the re-emergence of disease or introduce
>>adequate protection for the water itself.
>>
>>Fighting drought
>>
>>The study, published in the British Medical Journal, looked at what
>>happened in the Tigray region of Ethiopia following the introduction of
>>dams and irrigation systems.
>>
>>The measures had been introduced to reduce local agriculture's
>>dependence on regular rainfall following the famines - caused by drought -
>>in 1974 and1984.
>>
>>But while the scheme has had a positive impact on agriculture, the effect
>>on health has been worrying, with an increased incidence of malaria and
>>seven times as many children in villages near the dams getting the disease
>>compared with those living further away.
>>
>>The findings are similar to those in a study of similar projects in Sri Lanka
>>and raise fears that, unless properly thought out, schemes to improve the
>>environment could do as much harm as good.
>>
>>'Dams are good'
>>
>>Dr Peter Byass, of the School of Community Health Sciences at
>>Nottingham University, helped run the study, which was set up by the
>>Tigray authorities to monitor the health impact of their measures.
>>
>>
>>          "It's easy to jump to the conclusion
>>          that dams are bad, but that very
>>          definitely isn't the conclusion because
>>          we're talking about a very dry arid area
>>          where people and animals and farmers
>>          must have water," he said.
>>
>>          "We're only too well aware of the
>>          droughts that have affected this
>>          region in recent years, so the dams
>>          are a very important strategic
>>          development, but on the other hand
>>          we also have to be aware of side
>>          effects like this that may be associated
>>          with them."
>>
>>          However, damming projects like this
>>          were taking place around the world yet
>>          very few had included monitoring of
>>side effects - despite the obvious impact they have.
>>
>>Avoiding risks
>>
>>Ray Heslop, an engineering adviser for Water Aid, a charity that helps
>>communities gain access to clean drinking water, said the organisation was
>>well aware of the health risks associated with new water supplies.
>>
>>"We even consider the loss of water from taps, and make sure it seeps
>>straight into the ground and doesn't lie ponding," he said.
>>
>>"It is a thing we consider because the objective of our projects is to
>>improve the quality of people's lives, and that includes their health."
>>
>>However, it there was a danger that organisations working on larger-scale
>>projects such as irrigation and dam building, would overlook such matters
>>and would have to revise their approach.
>>
>>The researchers have just completed a study of how giving villagers bed
>>nets helps prevent the spread of malaria and compared the cost of that
>>with the value of the benefits offered by irrigation.
>>
>>They hope to establish the most cost-effective way for projects that
>>improve the environment to protect health at the same time, and will
>>present their results in the near future.
>>
>

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      Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
        and Editor, World Rivers Review
           International Rivers Network
              1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
                  Tel. (510) 848 1155   Fax (510) 848 1008
                        http://www.irn.org
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