Emma Weimer analyzes the distribution and usage of insecticide-treated malaria nets in malaria-stricken countries. Observations and studies show that the nets are often not used as intended for preventing malaria, but instead as fishing nets. This allows the insecticides to dissipate in water sources and potentially poison people. Weimer argues that this misuse is due to Western medical professionals failing to properly communicate the purpose and benefits of the nets to local populations. To increase effectiveness, Western health efforts need to shift their focus to improving cultural understanding and ensuring concepts are clearly explained.

1. 2016 Undergraduate Symposium Abstract
The Insecticide-Treated Malaria Net: A Critical Look into the Focus of Western Medical Health
Efforts and their Implications
Emma Weimer
The purpose of this presentation is to provide insight into the current educational methods of
Western medical health efforts in other countries, along with their successes and failures;
specifically analyzing malaria net distribution, usage, and effectiveness in malaria-stricken
countries. I also argue that cultural competency and humility must be applied to these Western
medical health efforts abroad. I use observations from Western medical aid workers of
individuals in targeted countries for malaria net distribution as well as the results of studies
performed to investigate the trend of malaria nets not being used as intended. These sources
support the fact that malaria nets in these areas are not being used for their intended purpose.
Instead of being used to prevent malaria, they are being used as fishing nets, allowing the
insecticides coating the nets to dissipate in vital water sources and introduce food poisoning to
the people eating the fish that came into contact with the net. I argue that this is due to Western
medical professionals not communicating abstract, foreign medical concepts to the people on the
receiving end of these efforts, causing them to not to properly recognize the benefits of using the
nets for their intended purpose. Ultimately, I conclude that the directionality, caliber, and focus
of Western health efforts in other countries need to be shifted so the people on the receiving end
of the health efforts better understand, and will therefore be more willing to comply, increasing
the effectiveness and success rates of these efforts.