Follow-Up to Guardian

Hi ______,

This morning I spoke with the Guardian's Letters Editor __________
who refused to publish my letter regarding Ben Fogle's leishmaniasis
as there was little space for letters about "skin infections".

I'd like to highlight that the letter was not about a skin infection,
rather an indictment of how one man's ego and desire for publicity
coupled with adulating journalism can lead to very dangerous
misconceptions being spread, in this case about a terrible disease.

By overplaying the dangers of the disease, the article will have
scared many people away from travel and the massive (though clichéd)
broadening of horizons that it brings. Not once was it mentioned how
incredibly rare leishmaniasis is in Britons, or that generally, even
if caught, it is relatively little to worry about.

Neither was it mentioned that Fogle is most likely the luckiest person
to have the disease. He has been treated relatively quickly and
efficiently. He was of course unlucky in his relapse. However, there
are twelve million people in the world who are currently suffering
from the disease who have little chance of correct diagnosis and even
less chance of adequate treatment, due solely to geographic and
economic factors, neither of which afflict Fogle.

Rather than raising awareness, the article has done nothing but
further muddy the already dirty waters of neglected diseases.

Clearly the facts surrounding the disease have been misinterpreted. I
would like the opportunity to redress the balance by writing a few
hundred words about the disease and the dangers suffered by those it
effects, and if space allows, the more general points of the safety
aspects and of course virtues of travel abroad. It would be good if
this could appear within the Guardian's G2. It will not be an attack
on Ben Fogle or the Guardian as maybe my previous email implied and
will still portray the fact that the disease and its treatment are
incredibly severe.

...

Regards,

Girish
http://www.justgiving.com/jammastergirish-msf