Many do not realize that the tiny mosquito has profoundly shaped and even directed human history. A carrier for a variety of diseases, like malaria, this pest has brought down armies and collapsed entire civilizations. It has even shaped human evolution with the emergence of the sickle-cell trait. It is the number one animal killer of humans.
As it has in the past, it still wreaks havoc today. Each minute, a child dies somewhere from malaria, even though it is both preventable and treatable. A few decades ago, the world decided to fight back with the Global Fund, and malaria-related deaths have dropped by almost a third. A new, powerful mRNA vaccine has just been developed.
But then along came Trump and the collapse of U.S. funding. Two decades of battle with humanity's greatest enemy is now at risk of being forfeited, with countless more lives lost. 2025 is the year that funding is supposed to be renewed for this battle, but all there is now is uncertainty. It is critical that Canada pick up the torch dropped by the U.S. and carry on the fight. For humanity's sake.
Nathaniel Poole
Victoria
