Dar-es-Salaam Statement on DDT Alternative approaches to DDT use for vector control

8^th April 2009

Acknowledging that malaria is a global crisis, which needs immediate attention and dedication by the global community to roll it back and that public health programmes and poverty reduction need broad-based sustainable/long-term strategies to address malaria as well as other diseases that are preventable and curable with sufficient resources;

Aware that DDT is a persistent organic pollutant , which is a bio-accumulative pesticide, that causes reproductive health and neuro-developmental disorders, pregnancy wastages and shortened lactation in breast feeding mothers ; whose use is to be eliminated under the Stockholm Convention;

Understanding that many Parties to the Convention facing the enormous burden of malaria have requested for exemption to use DDT for malaria control in the short term and that they are bound to observe the conditions as set out in Annex B, Part II of the Stockholm Convention;

Appreciating the efforts of the global community and their commitment to fight malaria through the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the Conference of Parties 3 decision to prepare a business plan to develop and deploy alternative methods, strategies and products to combat malaria as well as the initiative to establish a global partnership to develop alternatives to DDT;

Worried that the use of DDT has escalated threefold since the signing of the Convention in 2001 and that many more countries are planning to re-introduce DDT while the Convention demands that Parties reduce reliance on DDT for vector control and work towards eventual elimination;

Seriously concerned that the use of DDT for IRS is being conducted without strict observance of the WHO guidelines and disposal of DDT in accordance with the Basel Convention guidelines and Stockholm Convention BATs/BEPs and, that strategies for monitoring and evaluation are not built into spraying programs;

Noting that the goal of the Stockholm Convention is to ?protect human health and the environment? , however there is emerging new evidence of environmental and health effects of DDT in newborn children and in male reproductive health disorders due to DDT used in IRS;

Mindful of the global economic crunch that threatens funding for malaria control programs development and deployment of alternatives and that there is a general reluctance by Parties in Africa to embrace and fund alternatives;

Comforted by the results of the UNEP/GEF/WHO project on Demonstrating and Scaling-up of Sustainable Alternatives to DDT in Vector Management (DSSA - Global Programme)in Latin America indicating that malaria can be controlled without the use of toxic chemicals, and that similar projects have been initiated in other continents including Africa;

Now Therefore

We, representatives of the NGO community in Africa, driven by our desire to address the health and environmental problems that affect poor communities especially in the developing countries and countries with economies in transition commit ourselves to;

Create awareness on adverse effects of DDT use, organize meetings, seminars, conferences, etc to review communication strategies on DDT issues and train the media for information dissemination while promoting publications by providing information, education and training to decision makers, health care workers, and the community focusing on the health impacts and non chemical alternatives;

Lobby Governments to recognize the role of NGOs in DDT campaigns and relevant government authorities to embrace DDT alternatives and subsequently work with national governments and relevant stakeholders to comply with article 7 of the Stockholm Convention;

Build a core fund raising group amongst the NGOs and develop proposals (with emphasis on coordinated initiative and capacity building and fundraising skills) and identify donors to fund them;

Identify training needs for NGOs including training on advocacy, negotiations, lobbying techniques, technical information and monitoring and evaluation;

Exchange information and ideas, share experiences and case documentation of success stories of malaria prevention and control without use of DDT;

Harmonise Community Pesticide Action Monitoring (CPAM) activities at national and regional levels;

Advocate for the development of a full cost benefit analysis and life cycle assessment of DDT and alternative, including social, environmental, health cost and job beneficiation; and

Demand to participate in the UNEP/GEF/WHO program on Demonstrating and Scaling-up of Sustainable Alternatives to DDT in Vector Management (DSSA - Global Programme) especially in projects designed for the sub-Saharan African region.

Endorsements