Sustainable Tourism Planning

Introduction Tourism is a major economic activity for many countries across the globe. A country such as New Zealand has relied on tourism industry for economic growth. The concept of sustainable tourism development has expanded in the last 40 years following the increasing public awareness of environmental issues.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sustainable Tourism Planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Bhatia (2007), in his study suggested that sustainable tourism development refers to any form of tourist activity which is economically and socially equitable and acceptable, respects the environment and conserves cultural and natural resources. According to World Tourism Organization, sustainable tourism development is aimed at meeting the needs of visitors and the host countries and cities and at the same time furthering the future prospects (Smith, 2010, P. 2). Thus, sustainable tourism development should b e economically viable and also protect the tourist resources i.e. cultural, historical and natural resources (Curtin, 2003, P. 2). Importance of adopting a Sustainable Tourism Planning Approach The following are the benefits of adopting a sustainable tourism planning approach. First, a tourism plan provides the criteria for measuring new tourism projects. With this regards, a tourism plan aims at defining the objectives, implementation procedures and policies for developing new tourism projects. A research that was done by Pearce Butler (2002) suggested that a tourism plan plays an important role of developing new prospects within a planned framework. A tourism plan facilitates the development of new policy measures of supporting tourism organizations and improving their competitiveness. A tourism plan clearly explains the strategic themes and priorities for a country’s engagement in tourism. A tourism plan provides the tourism stakeholders such as tourists, companies, envir onment and the community with a sense of involvement and ownership. The stakeholders participate in the planning process because most of the decisions have implications on them (Hall Kearsley, 2001, P. 273-294). Towards creating a sustainable tourism development Achieving a sustainable tourism development calls for an interactive process. It is important for tourism managers to assess the developments on a current basis in order to mark any significant changes. Indicators of Sustainable Tourism supply the tourism management team with required information for making decisions for sustainable tourism development (Fennell, 2008, P. 10).Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Indicators enable tourism management team to find out whether sustainable tourism has been achieved or not. They function as an early warning system to monitor economical and social changes over time thus preve nting negative effects (Weaver Oppermann, 2000, P. 354). The World Tourism Organization has proposed several Indicators of Sustainable Development that can be used by tourism management team in decision making. The indicators include site protection, stress and use intensity, social impact and development control, waste management, planning process, critical ecosystems, consumer satisfaction, local satisfaction and tourism contribution to local economy. According to Dymond (1997), the indicators are aimed at meeting ecological, planning, social and economic goals. The role of local authorities in Sustainable Tourism planning (public sector) According to Swarbrooke (1999), the government intervenes in order to liaise, manage and plan the various group of interests that have a stake in tourism. The government is also responsible for marketing and promotion of tourism destinations. The government through its tourism department is responsible for managing tourism throughout the state. T he government usually obtains funds from taxes and the private sector in order to promote and market the country as a tourist destination. The role of private sector in Sustainable Tourism Development Sustainable tourism planning cannot be managed by the public sector alone. The government is usually not well equipped at local level to respond to the rapidly changing demand of national and global tourism demands. The private sector on the other hand possesses broad as well as powerful tourism planning techniques that are well coordinated. The roles of private sector in developing a sustainable tourism include the following: Private sector business provides accommodations, transport, attractions and other visitor facilities and services. The private sector encourages and promotes tourism marketing and development. Usually, the private sector intervenes in tourism to ensure that the business objectives like revenue maximization and others are balanced with stakeholders’ interes ts and local needs in relation to attractions, beaches, infrastructure and other resource base which are utilized by the tourism (Middleton Hawkins, 1998, P. 106).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sustainable Tourism Planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Private sector provides the financial resources that are required for tourism development and planning. They also provide the staff expertise which is required to enhance tourism planning and development (Swarbrooke, 1999, P. 97). Steps that are involved in creating a Sustainable Tourism Planning Tourism planning refers to the act of managing future events with the purpose of achieving objectives. The tourism development planning process involves a number of steps. The study recognition and preparation is the first stage in the process. In this stage, the planning authorities i.e. the private sector and the public sector, recognizes the strategy that is requ ired for planning process (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164). The second stage that is involved in tourism development planning process is setting the goals to be accomplished. For a development plan to be effectively designed, it is important to set clear goals that are to be accomplished. A clear understanding of tourism goals enables the management team not to lose sight during the planning process. The objectives to be accomplished should not be vague and unachievable. Also, the objectives to be accomplished should not be conflicting (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164). Survey of existing data is the third stage. Tourism management team should search for the available information before carrying out data collection. Surveying the available data is important because it saves time and resources (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164). Implementing the new surveys is the fourth stage that is involved in tourism development planning process. This stage plays an important role of filing the info rmation gap once the present data have been surveyed (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164). Analysis of primary and secondary data is the other stage. Both the primary and secondary data is analyzed by taking into consideration various issues such as asset evaluation, market analysis, development planning and impact analyses (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164).Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Policy and plan formulation is the sixth stage that is involved in tourism development planning process. This process enables the tourism management team to develop and evaluate alternative plans that facilitate the accomplishment of most tourism goals (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164). Recommendations is the next stage. In this stage, various recommendations are put forward in order to facilitate policy choice (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 164). Implementation of the plan and monitoring is the last stage that is involved in this process. During this stage, the preferred plan having been completed is implemented and closely monitored with a view of detecting any deviations (Kandari Chandra, 2004, P. 163-167). Conclusion Good tourism planning is the means of achieving economic prosperity. Both the government and private sector plays an important role in tourism development planning. It is important for the planners to involve all the main stakeholders such as the visitors and tourist c ompanies during the planning process. Reference List Bhatia, A. (2007). The Business of Tourism: Concepts and Strategies. New Delhi: Pvt. Ltd. Curtin, S. (2003). Whale-Watching in Kaikoura: Sustainable Destination Development? Journal of Ecotourism, 2 (3), 1-34. Dymond, S. (1997). Indicators Of Sustainable Tourism in New Zealand: A Local Government Perspective. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 5 (4), 1-9. Fennell, D. (2008). Ecotourism, Edition3. London: Routledge. Hall, C Kearsley, G. (2001). Tourism In New Zealand: An Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Kandari, O Chandra, A. (2004). Tourism, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Volume 3. New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House. Middleton, V Hawkins, R. (1998). Sustainable tourism: a marketing perspective. London: Butterworth-Heinemann. Pearce, D Butler, R. (2002). Contemporary issues in tourism development. London: Routledge. Smith, S. (2010). Practical Tourism Research. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Swarbrooke, J. (1999). Sustainable tourism management. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Weaver, D Oppermann, M. (2000). Tourism Management. London: John Wiley Sons. This essay on Sustainable Tourism Planning was written and submitted by user Gavyn K. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Female’s Sexuality

Certain aspects of a female’s sexuality influence the psychological experience of orgasm. Specific aspects of foreplay, intercourse, and relaxation affect not only the physical response, but also the psychology of the orgasm. Foreplay is probably the most important aspect of the psychological experience of sex. The arousal that is brought about comes from what is usually passionate, gentle, and sensitive caressing. Physical stimulation is a minor factor in foreplay. While it is obviously there, the physical aspect of foreplay does not arouse a woman as much as the emotions and thoughts that are involved. Arousal during foreplay causes â€Å"feelings of wanting to touch and be touched. Most women felt the sensations all over the body; few mentioned genitals† (Hite, 1976, 65). When women discuss foreplay and arousal, many emotional terms are used to describe the experience. Many factors influence the pleasure of foreplay. The first of which concerns â€Å"the amount of time typically devoted to it† (Fisher, 1973, 181). Foreplay typically takes up the majority of the time spent during a sexual experience, and usually leads to the more common form of orgasm, clitoral. Stimulation of â€Å"the clitoris and vagina near clitoris were designated as the most excited of all areas† (181). Clitoral stimulation is most commonly associated with either manual stimulation with the hand, or oral stimulation known as cunnilingus. Clitoral stimulation being the most common form of masturbation as well as led to many people believing that there is a subconscious feeling that does not allow a woman to typically have an orgasm during intercourse. Typically following foreplay comes intercourse; penile insertion into the vagina. Though many women remark that they do not experience orgasm during intercourse, it is still a common occurrence. Though they are reportedly less frequent than clitoral orgasms, vaginal orgasms are typically described... Free Essays on Female’s Sexuality Free Essays on Female’s Sexuality Certain aspects of a female’s sexuality influence the psychological experience of orgasm. Specific aspects of foreplay, intercourse, and relaxation affect not only the physical response, but also the psychology of the orgasm. Foreplay is probably the most important aspect of the psychological experience of sex. The arousal that is brought about comes from what is usually passionate, gentle, and sensitive caressing. Physical stimulation is a minor factor in foreplay. While it is obviously there, the physical aspect of foreplay does not arouse a woman as much as the emotions and thoughts that are involved. Arousal during foreplay causes â€Å"feelings of wanting to touch and be touched. Most women felt the sensations all over the body; few mentioned genitals† (Hite, 1976, 65). When women discuss foreplay and arousal, many emotional terms are used to describe the experience. Many factors influence the pleasure of foreplay. The first of which concerns â€Å"the amount of time typically devoted to it† (Fisher, 1973, 181). Foreplay typically takes up the majority of the time spent during a sexual experience, and usually leads to the more common form of orgasm, clitoral. Stimulation of â€Å"the clitoris and vagina near clitoris were designated as the most excited of all areas† (181). Clitoral stimulation is most commonly associated with either manual stimulation with the hand, or oral stimulation known as cunnilingus. Clitoral stimulation being the most common form of masturbation as well as led to many people believing that there is a subconscious feeling that does not allow a woman to typically have an orgasm during intercourse. Typically following foreplay comes intercourse; penile insertion into the vagina. Though many women remark that they do not experience orgasm during intercourse, it is still a common occurrence. Though they are reportedly less frequent than clitoral orgasms, vaginal orgasms are typically described...

The Z Notation Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The Z Notation - Math Problem Example COUNTER The precondition increments the value of count by one every time a value is added. The precondition indicates that the limit does not change. The precondition indicates that the number of items added cannot exceed 256, which is the limit. If the item to be added in the sequence already exists, the item should not be added to the list. The schema ALREADYADDED helps to control this. ALREADY ADDED The precondition tests if the item to be added already exists in the given sequence. If the value exists , then the system returns a value (ALREADY_ADDED) If the value is already in the sequence the resulting sequence does not change, this precondition is given by The function INFORM: is given by: Combining the three schemas gives the general expression for pushing the item onto the stack. PUSH_ITEM The item (i) becomes a subset of the ITEM The resulting count + 1 must be less than the limit value The limit value does not change The sign depicts change of state If the sequence has the item identical to one being input then, the system displays 'ALREADY_ADDED' (2)POPPING THE ITEM FROM THE STACK The schema for displaying an item isDISPLAY_ITEM For the item to be displayed it must be contained in the sequence The function takes the name of the requested item and finds it and displays all information about the given ITEM. There is no change in state of the system, this is illustrated by the symbol To prevent displaying an item not in the sequence, the system should return a NOT_FOUND result, the expression is given by; NOT_...Each piece can then be described informally with a commentary. The Z schemes describe the dynamic and static aspects of a system. The static aspect of a system includes the states the system can occupy and the relationship maintained when the system transits from state to state. The dynamic aspects include the operation that are possible, the changes that occur and the input - output relationship. (1) The list of persons name and corresponding salaries (can be used by a company to store data of the employees working in that company and also store the salaries of these people.) the reasons for using this type of data are Several people using one name may earn the same salary, the system can be coded to display number of people earning the same salary, this means that the tests data type can be subjected to various operations. To test for rotation a number (i) and the square of the number (i2) can be used. The test data comprise of different numbers and their squares, these numbers form a sequence. The elements can be arranged so that the top most elements are the first members of the given sequence and the last element is greatest number in that list. On rotating left the greatest number and its square becomes the first element of the set.

Literature review of peer article review and questions Assignment

Literature review of peer article review and questions - Assignment Example As a result of this, it forms a basic need for the economic costs that diabetes imparts on the labor market to be quantified adequately. According to the study on the diabetes prevalence, it was found that almost one adult in every three have diabetes and this affects the productivity in absolute. By researching on this area, there are innumerable advantages that America will gain. First of all, the policy makers will be adequately informed such that they can come up with the proper regulations which can be effectively used to reduce the prevalence of diabetes and the burden that it imposes on the Country. All in all, this field needs extensive research to be conducted. This will not only help the government in the reduction of the costs incurred on drugs, but also improve the labor market in the country by ensuring that the working population of the country is in good health thus improving the productivity. This research will majorly affect the working population. Most of the persons in the working population are between the ages of 19 years and 55 years. The choice of this age bracket is inspired by various statistical evidences. According to a report by the National Diabetes Statistics report of 2014, there was an increased in the number of cases of pre-diabetes in young Americans aged twenty and older by a worrying 7 million from 79 million in 2010 to 86 million in 2012 (National Diabetes Org, 2014) . With the increasing cases of diabetes diagnosis every year, it is important that these people be evaluated with much more seriousness so as to reduce the significant effect that the diabetes is having on the working class in America. Most of the persons within the ages are in their reproductive ages, especially women. According to Healthline, there is increased risk of women who become pregnant to develop diabetes

Project Estimating Techniques Essay Example for Free

Project Estimating Techniques Essay One of the most important factors to the success of a project is how well the project is estimated, as well as how overall costs are managed during the execution phase by the project manager. Project costs and estimates are vital to the success of any organization to remain competitive in the market. Cost estimating for organizations rely heavily on resources that can sometimes be difficult to obtain. Forecasting and utilizing historical return costs are just a couple of ways that organizations rely on estimating. Experienced planners are often a sought trade within the market; this paper will discuss some often used project cost estimating techniques. Types of Estimating The first type of estimating is analogous. This type of estimating utilizes estimates from a previous project that is similar, and uses them to build estimates for the new project. While this type of estimating is beneficial to the planning process, caution must be used to ensure that estimates carried over from the previous project are fair and reasonable. Parametric estimation takes historical data inputs, makes calculated assumptions based on market and statistical data, and then formulates the estimate. This type of estimating is useful as it does use historical data, coupled with statistical data; however, assumptions made by the planner can be skewed and lead to inaccurate estimates in my opinion. The next type of estimating is bottom-up. Bottom-up estimating utilizes information from individual estimates through the Work Break Down structure. This type of estimating is one of the most common types of estimating because it uses estimates from the floor tasks. These floor tasks are estimated by subject matter experts with years of experience, and can be very beneficial to ensuring that not only the estimate is accurate, but the scope of the task is correct. Another type of estimating is three-point estimating. Three-point estimating takes a look at the best, worst, and most realistic scenario to cost estimating the project. These three options obviously come with a  premium on cost, time, or quality. Dependent on what the project objective is will more than likely determine what route to take in this process. From my work experience with project planning, cost estimating can be a very difficult task. Most organizations have a method or process in how to cost estimate. Some utilize checklists, while others may standard operating procedures as part of an organizational policy. Regardless of what tools are available to a project team during the cost estimating process, knowing the overall goals and objectives of the project are keys to estimating a successful project. The burden of cost estimating is not normally the responsibility of one individual; it often lies within the project team. Multiple estimators from various skills are part of the process, and all types of estimating as discussed earlier are part of the process. Tools that my organization utilizes are bid specification review meetings that go over the material, labor, and rates that apply to the work being conducted during the project. In addition, an independent government estimate (IGE) is utilized to ensure that estimates are filled out thoroughly, and reviewed against the contractor’s estimates upon receipt. There are many other processes that can be used; however, these are the most commonly one’s used within government estimating. Conclusion Cost estimating is a very important part of the project planning process as it often dictates the duration of the project, and how much work can be accomplished during the project against the budget given for the project. Estimates of time and cost together allow the manager to develop a time-phased budget, which is imperative for project control (Larson Gray, 2014, p. 131). While there are many different ways that estimates are created, there is no sure fire way in stating that one is better than the other. While some may think that historical data is a more accurate way, there is not telling that the estimate and return costs from a previous project were fair and reasonable. If the previous project cost was overestimated, then the current project would continue to be overestimated; therefore not proving to be a cost benefit to the organization. Cost estimating drives the project plan, and organizations need to ensure they utilize all the tools and resources they have available to them to make the  project a success. Reference Larson, E. W., Gray, C. F. (2014). Project Management: The Managerial Process (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Affirmative Action Violates Constitutional Rights Essay -- Argumentati

Affirmative Action Violates Constitutional Rights In 2003, the United States Supreme Court will hear two affirmative action cases. Each is dealing with the actions of the admissions office of the University of Michigan. The cases, Gratz v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger, have been called "this generation's Brown v. Board of Education." (Montoya.) These cases have much hanging in their mists, "The outcome of †¦ affirmative action cases will determine whether our society moves forward towards greater equality or backwards to resegregation [sic] and greater inequality"("New†¦"). Affirmative action which is, as defined by Webster's II New College Dictionary, "A policy or program that seeks to redress past discrimination by increasing opportunities for underrepresented groups, as in employment." Affirmative action not only increases opportunities for women and minorities it decreases opportunities for white men. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. - Amendment XIV, section one The U.S. Constitution is clear, the privileges and immunities will not be decreased, and states can not deny any person in its jurisdiction equality. Affirmative action lessens the immunities of white men; they are no longer guaranteed an "equal opportunity employer." White men who are in the jurisdiction of the United States are denied equality. This is proved by the fact that qualifications are not the top reason for whom is hired, instead the main reason white men are turned down, when ... ...//clinton2.nara.gov/WH/EOP/ OP/html/aa/aa02.html> Stephanopoulos, George, and Christopher Edley, Jr. "OTHER FEDERAL POLICIES: THE FCC AND THE DEPARTMENTS OF TREASURY AND AGRICULTURE." Affirmative Action Review Report to the President. 19 July 1995. 16 Dec. 2002 <http://clinton2.nara.gov/WH/EOP/OP/html/aa/aa11.html> Stephanopoulos, George, and Christopher Edley, Jr. "Letter to the President." Affirmative Action Review Report to the President. 19 July 1995. 16 Dec. 2002 <http://clinton2.nara.gov/WH/EOP/OP/html/aa/aa-lett.html> United States. Department of Justice. "MEMORANDUM TO GENERAL COUNSELS." Washington, D.C: Office of Legal Counsel. 28 June 1995. <http://clinton2.nara.gov/WH/EOP/OP/html/aa/ap-b.html> United States. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. "The Civil Rights Act of 1964." 15 Jan. 1997 <http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/vii.html>   

Culture and Disease Essay

Malaria is one of the diseases that are responsible for the highest mortality and morbidity rates in Africa especially among children (World Bank, 2009). In fact, it is one of the greatest public health concerns in Africa and most of the health programs are aimed at prevention and treatment of the disease (World Bank, 2009). This disease is common among Africans compared to other ethnic groups due to economic, cultural, economic and social factors. In a bid to fight this scourge, Africans have been using several methods to control the spread of malaria and the methods have included both the modern and traditional approaches. Malaria is an infectious disease which is usually caused by a parasite that is known as plasmodium. These parasites are protozoan in nature and they are of several species which include Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium vivax (Sherman, 1998). Among these species, the most serious and fatal species to human beings is P. falciparum. The plasmodium is transmitted to humans by the female anopheles mosquitoes and its lifecycle involves two hosts which are the human host and a mosquito vector (Sherman, 1998). In the lifecycle of the plasmodium it forms sporozoites which are found in the gut of the female mosquito (Russel & Wolfe, 2008). The female mosquito transmits the sporozoites to human beings through a bite. These sporozoites move into the human liver where they enter the liver cells and mature into a schizont which contains numerous merozoites (Russel & Wolfe, 2008). These merozoites are released into bloodstream where they invade the red cells thereby forming schizonts with numerous merozoites. These are released from the red blood cells into bloodstream where they invade more red cells. As the red cells are bursting to release the merozoites, toxic compounds are released which causes the fever and the clinical symptoms that are associated with malaria (Russel & Wolfe, 2008). In the bloodstream, some of the merozoites differentiate into the male and female gametes which are taken up by the mosquito from the infected person and these two fertilize each other in the gut of the mosquito and they develop into sporozoites (Russel & Wolfe, 2008). These are transmitted to another human being through a bite by the mosquito. Though the principal mode of malaria transmission is by mosquito bites, there are other methods that can transmit the malarial parasite. One of these is blood transfusion following existence of dormant plasmodium parasites in the donor’s blood. This can make the transfused person to suffer from a febrile illness and for these reasons in areas where malaria is endemic a full course of chloroquine is administered to potential recipients of blood (Kakkilaya, 2006). Another mode of transmission is transmission from mother to child among pregnant women. These parasites pass to the child through the placenta especially if the mother has no immunity (Kakkilaya, 2006). The last mode of transmission is through needle stick injury which can be either accidental as happens among healthcare providers or intentional as happens among drug addicts who share needles (Kakkilaya, 2006). There are several factors that make Africans vulnerable to malaria and one of these are the environmental factors which contribute to spread of the disease. To begin with, malaria is a climate related disease where it is mostly found in the tropic and subtropic regions. The climate in Africa particularly the annual mean temperature is mostly within the tolerance limit of the plasmodium species and this makes the parasite to thrive thus rendering the populations living in this area vulnerable (Leary, 2008). Another environmental factor is weather disturbances in Africa which influences the breeding sites of the vectors thereby increasing the transmission potential of malaria (Leary, 2008). These weather disturbances occur in the form of prolonged droughts and heavy rains. There are several social and cultural factors that make Africans vulnerable to malaria disease. One of these is increased human population in Africa and this has led to swamp reclamation and deforestation in a bid to find more land for settlement. The effect of these activities has been the creation of puddles which provides good breeding sites for the mosquitoes which in turn transmit malaria (Leary, 2008). When the vegetation is removed, what happens is that the temperatures increase and this aids in malaria transmission. Another factor is self medication where many people in Africa buy drugs over the counter and treat themselves at home (Leary, 2008). This has led to development of drug resistant strains of plasmodium necessitating continuous replacement of anti-malarial drugs. This has made the populations in Africa susceptible to the disease since instead of dealing with the problem the populations create more problems by creating drug resistant strains of plasmodium. In addition, many people treat themselves with anti-malarial drugs that have already been ruled as ineffective thereby putting themselves at risk of developing serious and complicated malaria (Leary, 2008). Another factor is lack of knowledge on the disease among both the communities and the public health officials. A study done in 2004 showed that in East Africa people are required by the Public Health Act to clear the bushes around their houses as a way of preventing the spread of yellow fever yet studies have shown that clearing of bushes creates favorable breeding conditions for malaria (Leary, 2008). This increases the vulnerability of Africans to malaria disease since effective measures are not taken to prevent spread of malaria. Economic factors also increase the vulnerability of Africans to malaria. Poverty levels in Africa are high which means that there are inadequate economic resources to invest in healthcare thereby making people vulnerable to malaria epidemics. Most of the populations here live below a dollar a day and also cases of food shortages are very common which makes obtaining food rather than malaria prevention a priority (Leary, 2008). These economic hardships also make it difficult for populations to seek good healthcare services. Most just go to the private clinics or to the local dispensaries most of which have no equipment for diagnosis thus resulting in inappropriate prescriptions (Leary, 2008). In addition, some of the medical staff found in these healthcare facilities are not qualified. The reason as to why most of the people prefer the local dispensaries is cost constraints where they cannot afford motorized transport and thus prefer to use cheap means of transport such as bicycles (Leary, 2008). Myths and cultural beliefs also make Africans vulnerable to malaria. This is particularly with regard to the cause and prevention of malaria. Some people believe that malaria is caused by witchcraft or supernatural forces and a good example is Uganda where the populations here associate convulsions which are a form of malarial complication with supernatural forces (Leary, 2008). This really makes the populations vulnerable to malaria since they cannot take measures to prevent malaria. In addition, due to such beliefs, people who have malaria are not treated with conventional medicine which is more effective but are treated using traditional medicine which is not that effective. This makes the populations susceptible to malaria epidemics since the problem is not being addressed thereby ensuring the spread of the disease and increasing mortality rates. Other people associate malaria with certain foods and a good example is populations in Tanzania who believe that malaria is due to consumption of maize meal (Leary, 2008). This belief results from the fact that maize meals in Tanzania are commonly consumed in times of food shortages which occur following too much or too little rainfall (Leary, 2008). These climatic conditions are also associated with increased cases of malaria. However, the populations associate malaria with the food they commonly eat at that time and therefore they do not eat maize meals as a way of fighting malaria (Leary, 2008). This only serves to make them more vulnerable to malaria. There are several methods that are used to control the spread of malaria. Some of these methods are aimed at lowering exposure to infectious mosquito bites and these include indoor spraying using insecticides, use of bed nets that are insecticide treated, and use of repellants (Falola & Heaton, 2007). Insecticides are used to reduce the number of adult mosquitoes while materials such as repellants repel mosquitoes away from an individual thereby curbing the spread of the disease. Another method involves treatment of the disease using drugs. Though drug resistance has been a great problem in fighting malaria, drugs have proven to be effective in suppressing the parasite within the host thus preventing further spread of the disease (Falola & Heaton, 2007). Other treatment methods involve interfering with the breeding sites of mosquitoes and these include draining of stagnant water and spraying of breeding sites with insecticides. Apart from these methods of preventing the spread of malaria, the African population has its alternative methods of dealing with malaria. One of these involves use of traditional medicine. Traditional healers in Africa diagnose and treat malaria using indigenous roots, herbs, and leaves which are usually prepared and taken orally (Maslove et al. , 2009). This acts as a barrier to the fight against malaria since their diagnosis is based merely on symptoms and not diagnostic evidence which may lead to improper treatment thus further spread of malaria due to delayed treatment (Maslove et al. , 2009). Traditionally, Africans have relied on good sanitation practices such as proper disposal of garbage and draining of swamps as a way of preventing malaria and up to date their method remains effective and aids the fight against malaria (Falola & Heaton, 2007). However, this approach ignores mosquitoes as the vectors involved in the spread of malaria thereby hampering the fight against malaria (Falola & Heaton, 2007). Though Africans have taken steps to address malaria, a lot still remains to be done. There is a great need for education on the causes of malaria as by understanding the causes of malaria preventive and treatment strategies can be effectively implemented. There is also the need to educate the African traditional healers on malaria so that they can use better approaches in the treatment of malaria. References Falola, T. & Heaton, M. M. (2007). HIV/AIDS, illness and African well-being. New York, NY: Rochester Press. Kakkilaya, B. S. (2006). Transmission of malaria. Retrieved 23 August, 2010 from http://www. malariasite. com/malaria/Transmission. htm Leary, N. (2008). Climate change and vulnerability. USA: Earthscan. Maslove et al. (2009). Barriers to the effective treatment and prevention of malaria in Africa: A systematic review of qualitative studies. BMC International Human Rights, 9(29), 2321- 2337. Russel, P. J. & Wolfe, S. L. (2008). Biology volume 2: The dynamic science, volume 2. Belmont, CA: Thomson Publishers. Sherman, I. W. (1998). Malaria: Parasite biology, pathogenesis, and protection. Washington, DC: ASM Press. World bank. (2009). Intensifying the fight against malaria: The world bank’s booster program for malaria control in Africa. Washington, DC: World Bank.