Malaria
the yellow international vaccination card that most western tourists carry describes malaria as "a serious and sometimes fatal disease, endemic in many tropical and subtropical countries. You cannot be vaccinated against it, but you can protect against mosquito bites, and take antimalaria tablets regularly. If you get a fever within two years after your return, tell your doctor you have recently been in a malarious country.'
Behind this bland warning lies a human tragedy. Malaria afflicts up to 500 million people kills over a million people a year, at least two per minute, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Many are too poor to have access to protection and treatment and existing drugs are rapidly losing their potency as the parasite evolves resistance to our limited pharmaceutical armoury. The warning also reflects the apathy accorded by rich nations to this