Social innovators are on a mission to tackle the world's most crippling problems. One major issue attacking much of Africa is malaria; the fatal disease carried by mosquitos where the highest number of deaths are from children. The design thinking process was used through steps of inspiration and ideation; insecticide-treated nets with small holes were given in masses to families in African states for use as a canopy while sleeping. The World Health Organization found that the nets lowered deaths overall, especially in children under age 5 by 51% in Ethiopia, 34% in Ghana, and 66% in Rwanda [1]. The nets were extremely effective in lowering malaria cases when used properly.
With all successes, however, come unintended negative consequences.
The implementation of the product design ran into problems almost instantaneously. First, hospitals were giving expectant mothers nets for free when they came in for doctor visits. This method was effective for villagers with little access to protect their children. This did, however, cause the nets to be a non-profitable item for shop owners to sell, making it difficult for people in cities to purchase them for protection. Hospitals did not have the ability to sell the nets they gave to expectant mothers either; there by causing gains in malaria cases.
Second unexpected consequence, the mosquito repelling nets made an excellent fishing tool.
In Zambia and Mozambique there are growing number of malaria cases as the nets come straight from packages and into the local lakes and streams to gather fish. The villagers are namely fond of the small holes that are able to grasp all wildlife. Unfortunately, the insecticide-treated nets are placed into already contaminated waters and causing an increase in other health problems amongst the villagers. Furthermore, families take multiple nets and sew them together to cover larger span of marine life in the lakes. Considering that the fish population is already scarce, this practice of net usage will lead to a critical food source shortage for the millions of the world’s poorest people [2].
Fisherman have been reduced to fist fights over traditional fishing methods vs the catch-all methods using a free tent. Legislation is being drafted to stop the local population from using the nets for anything but their intended design.
Fisherman have been reduced to fist fights over traditional fishing methods vs the catch-all methods using a free tent. Legislation is being drafted to stop the local population from using the nets for anything but their intended design.
This leaves us with a conundrum: Do we denounce the successes of the malaria repelling nets because, when used improperly, they lead to higher rates of malaria and other diseases? How do we prioritize one crippling problem (malaria) over another (malnutrition) when researching and implementing social ventures?
[1] Design Thinking for Social Innovation, Stanford Social Innovation Review (2010) http://ssir.org/articles/entry/design_thinking_for_social_innovation/
[2] Meant to Keep Malaria Out, Mosquito Nets Are Used to Haul Fish In (2015) http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/25/world/africa/mosquito-nets-for-malaria-spawn-new-epidemic-overfishing.html?_r=0#
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