"The malaria mines of Venezuela" - 23 August 2014

Venezuela used to be a world leader in managing malaria, but is now the only country in Latin America where incidence of the disease is increasing. Around 75,000 people were infected last year, and according to government figures, 60% of cases were in Sifontes, a tiny region of the country where gold mining…is booming, and healthcare is scarce…Both the government and critics agree that the cause of the surge is in part due to the boom of illegal gold mining in the region…Critics say the government has allowed illegal mining to grow in the last 15 years…The boom of illegal mines means more people eroding the rainforest, cutting trees and creating stagnant waters to extract gold. A perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes...