Southeast Asia's next 'tsunami'

Southeast Asia's next 'tsunami'

More than 160,000 people perished in the massive earthquake and
towering waves that devastated countries around the Indian Ocean
last month. Up to 100,000 more could die, according to health
experts, if urgent steps were not taken in the stricken areas.

This time, the agents of death would be almost invisible to
the eye. They would spread unseen, claiming their victims through
stealth. The next catastrophe, say the experts, could be malaria.

Already, the World Health Organization has reported that seven
cases of malaria have been confirmed in the disaster zone in
Indonesia, where the calamity was at its worst.

Malaria is not the only threat looming on the horizon. Because
clean water has become scarce, cholera, dysentery, typhoid and
other water-borne diseases could break out in remote villages.

Malaria is not a disease to be dealt with lightly. Each year,
an estimated 2.5 million people die from it, a million of which
are children, all over the world.

More than US$3 billion have been raised for relief and
reconstruction in the quake and tsunami-hit countries. We just
hope a big chunk of this fund would be devoted to disease
prevention. It would be criminal if the world allowed another
100,000 lives to be snuffed out before making a move.
-- The Manila Times