NEW DELHI — The specter of malaria, dengue fever and many other mosquito-borne diseases stalk the world. Despite its deserved reputation as being one of cleanest, pest-free countries in Asia, even Singapore is battling to cope with a rash of dengue cases.
The problem is that many of the pathogens carried by these winged pests have become resistant to drugs. Consequently, malaria and dengue fever are resurgent in many areas of Asia where they had once been under control. This is not merely a regional problem.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 300 million people are infected with malaria and almost 1.5 million die from it each year. In sub-Saharan Africa, malaria kills one of every 20 children.