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PAPERS:
Christopher G Wolff, Dirk G Schroeder, and Mark W Young
Effect of improved housing on illness in children under 5 years old in northern Malawi: cross sectional study
BMJ 2001; 322: 1209-1212 [Abstract] [Full text]
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[Read Rapid Response] Enough talk, now let's see some real action
Richard M Lynch   (1 June 2001)

Enough talk, now let's see some real action 1 June 2001
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Richard M Lynch,
Specialist Registrar
A&E Department, York District Hospital

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Re: Enough talk, now let's see some real action

Dear Editor,

I was pleased to read Wolff et al's paper [1] which demonstrated a significant reduction in illhealth among children under 5 years old as a result of improving housing standards.

This comes as no surprise to me. When one considers some of the appauling living conditions in third world countries it is only reasonable that improved housing standards will improve health.

What concerns me more is that this paper will not lead to any radical improvements in housing standards throughout the third world. Without adequate funding and support, Governments in these countries will not be able to afford to improve the standard of housing for each of its' citizens. Individuals themselves will not have access to the $550 (£370) quoted in this paper - the cost of a habitat house.

However, can we just sit back and see millions of people denied access to improved housing, which we now know will result in significantly improved health? Yet this is what has happened for many years with regard to insecticide impregnated mosquito nets [2]. For a decade it has been shown that these nets can morbidity and mortality from malaria [3] [4], yet they are not widely available. Let's hope the time has come to say "Enough talk, now let's see some real action" and provide improved housing standards and impregnated mosquito nets with a resulting dramatic improvement in health.

[1] Wolff CG, Schroeder DG, Young MW. Effect of improved housing on illness in children under 5 years old in northern Malawi: cross sectional study. BMJ 2001;322:1209-12.

[2] Yamey G. Global campaign to eradicate malaria. BMJ 2001;322:1191-2.

[3] Sexton JD, Ruebush TK, Brandling-Bennett AD, Breman JG, Roberts JM, Odera JS, Were JB. Permethrin-impregnated curtains and bed-nets prevent malaria in western Kenya. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1990;43(1):11-8.

[4] Nevill CG, Some ES, Mung'ala VO, Mutemi W, New L, Marsh K, Lengeler C, Snow RW. Insecticide-treated bednets reduce mortality and severe morbidity from malaria among children on the Kenyan coast. Trop Med Int Health 1996;1(2):139-46.

Competing interest: none