World Mosquito Day! AUGUST 20 for over 100 years.

 

Today, August 20, 2021 is World Mosquito Day.  It has been every year for over 100 years.  Why this August day? Google it.  The bigger question is why is this day so significant- yet so ignored? 

I can only guess why we ignore it…but we are in denial about how important it is - as the Covid delta variant virus now surges killing more foolishly unvaccinated Americans and other blessed souls globally who never had the chance to get vaccinated.

FYI:  Mosquitos are the deadliest animal in the world.  One estimate is that over 50 billion humans have died throughout human history because of mosquito transmitted viruses or bacteria.  And approximately 2.7 million continue to die each year, mostly in Africa.  Mostly from Malaria.

TIL (Today I Learned):  Malaria can actually be eradicated globally.  So far humans have only globally eradicated one disease – Smallpox.  This virus killed more humans in the first 70 years of the last century than all the wars, revolutions, genocides, and homicides combined during the 100 years of the same century.   Its global eradication cost the US only $32 million over 10 years ($3.2million annually).  That campaign’s success now saves US taxpayers about $17 billion every 20 years (about a $1 billion annually).  Polio could be next.  Rotary International is close to that victory.

In the context that infectious diseases remain humanities greatest killer and cost burden – it need not anymore.  Humanity now has a choice.  Our technology is evolving faster than the natural evolution/mutation of our microbial enemies.  Our greatest weapon against pathogens has always been our immune system (requiring adequate nutrition, clean water, safe sanitation, and informed minds).  Now we have increasingly rapid and effective vaccines (to fight viruses) but faltering antibiotics (to fight bacteria) with the potential for new ones we find in nature.

Unfortunately, the habits of the human mind are now the greatest ally of both forms of pathogens.  Science ignorance, illiteracy, and distrust combined with dysfunctional government and escalating political tribalism is damaging nearly every aspect of controlling infectious diseases.  And human rage between groups now has the capacity to create unprecedented bioweaponry.

The good news:  In June, the World Health Organization declared China malaria-free.  Over 3 dozen other nations or territories have achieved this status.  China clearly demonstrated that defeating malaria requires a comprehensive approach.  African countries have taken notice but still suffer too many illnesses and deaths from malaria.   

The key principle here is this.  Infectious disease control lessons go way beyond malaria.  And everyone in communities, businesses, religions, militaries, and governments have a role to play.

Military power and walls will not stop histories march of invisible pathogens. Technology and global human cooperation can.   This also goes for the proliferation of WMD, Nonnative invasive species (plant and animal), forever wars, heat trapping gases, and harmful pollutants (to air, soil, water). 

It’s our choice.  Here’s what the world could be if our minds were used for solving problems instead of defending flawed concepts inherent in different political, religious, or economic circles.  I urge you to watch the 1 hr. and 40-minute 2016 documentary “The Choice is Ours”.  The Venus Project.  I don’t agree with everything stated.  But overall, its vision is profound.

Humanity has everything we need for “the world that works for everyone” as Buck Minster Fuller properly proclaimed over 50 years ago.  Today we have even more!   Unprecedented financial and material resources, sustainable technology, and the human capacity for rapid global communication/transportation/cooperation.   We even have a plan.  The 17 Sustainable Development Goals.   We need two things.  First the political will. 

Why do we continue to defend flawed ideas instead of those fundamental ideals we are all familiar with.   The Golden Rule – the foundation of each major religion, and “the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God” offered in the Declaration of Independence as the self-evident path yielding “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”. 

Imagine the world today if Thomas Jefferson had accepted the editing advice of his close friend and Declaration signer, Dr. Benjamin Rush.   Rush suggested replacing the word “Happiness” with “Health”. 

Minds often define Happiness differently under different conditions.  Few sane minds would argue against the conditions of everyone having a healthy mind, body, spirt, family, other loving relationships, environment, economy, or rule of law.  The choice is ours! 

The second constraint besides sufficient political will is time.  We still rely on a 400-year-old global governance system (national sovereignty) to solve urgent fundamental threats to our individual freedom and security.  Threats that are growing exponentially largely due to the persistent evolution of multi-use technology, war, pathogens as our minds and governments resist change.

Have you ever asked why US politicians and military leaders swear an oath to protect the Constitution instead of public health and safety like many engineers and medical people do?

Please read the preamble to the US Constitution and give a school grade to each of its desired outcomes.  Then consider President Abraham Lincoln’s words that our Declaration of Independence is our “Apple of Gold”.  And our Constitution is its Frame of Silver. 

It’s our choice.