Malaria Idea Boxing Bout

A wedding dress made
from malaria nets

What's the best way to distribute malaria nets?

Today, we have two heavy weight ideas weighing in.

In the blue corner, we have Mr. Let's Give Them Away.

Mr. Let's Give Them Away claims that malaria sufferers are usually stuck in a poverty trap.  They have less-than-no-income and struggle everyday just to find the basics of life. Giving them a mosquito net will decrease infant mortality rates, and give them more productive days to try and break free from the trap.

In the red corner, we have the mighty Mr. Let's Sell Subsidized Nets.

He too is full of good intentions.  He too wants to save lives.  He is not Mr. Evil Capitalist (who was ejected from the boxing arena).  He too has a good idea.  If we just give them the nets, then they will either a) sell them or b) use them as fishing nets.  Heck, some people will even turn them into wedding dresses!  Why not sell them to them instead?  This way, we won't upset the almighty Free Market and people will actually value the net.  You can just imagine their thought processes: "I bought this net.  It cost me a whole dollar!  I am going to make damn sure I am going to use it!"

Before these two mighty ideas go at it hammer-and-tongs, there going to talked to by the referee: Mr. Science.

Mr. Science instructs both boxers to not engage in ad hominen attacks, no ad ignorantiam arguments below the belt, and anyone engaging in a tautology will be instantly disqualified!

Mr. Science also points out a recent study by the IPA.

IPA gave nets many pregnant women in Kenya.  The price charged to the women ranged from free to highly subsidized.

They found that the price of net had no affect on how well the nets were being used.

They also did a cost effectiveness study and found that subsidized nets were a little more cost-effective than the free nets.

Mr. Science ensures he has both boxers' attention and says, "Here's the kicker boys.  The free distribution of nets leads to many more lives saved.  So if you value cost effectiveness, roll out the subsidized nets. If you value lives saved however, just give the damned things away".

In the end the boxing bout didn't actually go ahead.

Mr. Let's Sell Subsidized Nets purchased a mocha latte and grumbled about market forces with his buddies.

While Mr. Let's Give Them Away purchased a fair trade cappuccino and proceeded to work on just how he was going to give away the millions of mosquito nets he had.