The Marshall Islands are a string of islands located about midway between Hawaii and Australia. They gained their complete independence from the U.S. in 1986. Common diseases in the Marshall Islands are quite similar to those in the United States.
Communicable Diseases
However, to avoid certain diseases, the Centers for Disease Control recommend the following vaccinations for those traveling to the area.
Zika is a risk, as well as typhoid and Hepatitis A. Visitors need to be vigilant against mosquito bites, and avoid eating food from street vendors. Zika can also spread through sexual intercourse, so condoms are recommended. Typhoid can spread through contaminated food or water.
Since there is no vaccine for Zika, travelers should take special care. They should pack mosquito repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, stay in air-conditioned areas, make sure there are window screens, use permathin to treat tents and other materials (shoes, socks, shirts, etc.) and sleep under a mosquito net.
Persons infected with Zika frequently don’t feel sick. It is important to prevent mosquito bites three weeks after returning. This is because if a traveler has the virus, a mosquito can bite her and potentially spread the disease to other people.
Persons with Zika should not take aspirin-based products or ibuprofen. Rest and drink liquids, and see your doctor.
Non-Communicable Diseases
In terms of other common diseases in the Marshall Islands, cardiovascular issues lead the way. Second are diabetes, urogenital, blood and endocrine diseases, with chronic respiratory problems third.
Life expectancy in the Marshall Islands hovers around 65 years. According to a 2013 report, the deadliest diseases in the nation were diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Because of climate change, the Marshall Islands are slowly disappearing. Many islanders have relocated to various regions of the United States. However, despite finding employment more easily in the U.S., the majority find the American health care system in the hard to navigate.
In the Marshall Islands, consultations are $5 per visit. Marshall Islanders living on the mainland tend to send family members who need care to Oregon or California for more generous benefits that are not available in Arkansas, where many of them live.
One of the common diseases in the Marshall Islands is cancer. Another is thyroid disorders. Diabetes is very high among Marshall Islanders and those living in the United States. A combination of nuclear testing and the U.S. Military presence, combined with needed relocation due to unlivable conditions on the island have contributed to the diabetes/cancer/thyroid problems.
Their diet may also be a cause for many of these problems. Marshall Islanders traditionally had a diet of fresh fish, breadfruit and coconut. Now, it’s processed foods and white rice. However, education and attempts to improve quality of life in the Marshall Islands may improve the nation’s citizens’ health, as well.
– Gloria Diaz
Photo: Flickr
The Threat of Lake Victoria’s Failing State
After coffee, Uganda’s second biggest export is fish. Lake Victoria gained international attention the 1980s when the native species of Nile perch and tilapia came into high demand. This fishing boom acted as an economic boost for fishermen, but it costs the lake severely.
Unfortunately, whilst the fishing boom was in full motion, the government’s environmental policies had yet to progress. Even when laws were implemented, they were scarcely enforced. Unregulated pollutants from agricultural run-off, sewage and industrial waste became a large contributor to Lake Victoria’s failing state.
With the pollution in the lake suffocating fish, desperate fishermen have resorted to practices that deplete the lake even more. Illegal fishing methods, such as using an insecticide as poison, have led to the destruction of breeding grounds. Fishermen use these techniques in order to catch more fish but add to Lake Victoria’s failing state.
While the average weight of a perch was 50 kilograms in 1980, it is now just 10 kilograms. Even more, about 300 smaller species have gone extinct. With the fishing industry in Lake Victoria producing about $640 million a year, it is vital to the 35 million who have built their livelihoods on the lake. However, it is being threatened by the environmental impact of pollutants.
Fortunately, there are many initiatives working to help both the fishermen and the lake. The World Bank started The Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project as an effort to both restore the lake’s environmental status and improve the lives of those who depend on it. One program this project is working on is providing income to fishermen through fish farms to alleviate the pressure on Lake Victoria.
This crisis occurring in Lake Victoria can still be solved. Until fishermen are educated on their impact on the lake and practices becomes more regulated, the problem will continue to grow.
– Kelly Hayes
Photo: Pixabay
4 of the Most Common Diseases in Benin
Lower Respiratory Infections
This category of diseases includes acute bronchitis, bronchiolitis, influenza, and pneumonia. A leading cause for these infections is air pollution. In big cities like Cotonou, pollution is a huge concern. With a population of more than one million, Contou has some of the highest emissions outputs in the region. This air pollution is a major health risk, especially for children. It accounts for 15 percent of premature deaths in Benin. But the risk can be alleviated. Research has shown that risk decreases when children are properly nourished and breastfed from birth.
Malaria
Malaria is both one of the most common diseases in Benin and one of the most well-known. It accounts for 21 percent of premature deaths. Recently, strains of drug-resistant malaria have become common, including the strain P. Falciparum. Developments like this make malaria even harder eradicate. Nonetheless, government officials in Benin are working hard to make malaria a thing of the past. Benin is part of the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), which is led by USAID and the CDC. PMI aims to eliminate malaria as a common disease within the next six years. And if accomplished, thousands of lives in Benin could be saved.
Diarrheal Diseases
This class of diseases takes away the lives of five percent of Benin citizens a year. One of the main causes of these diarrheal diseases is poor sanitation. This includes things like drinking contaminated water or not having access to running water. The diseases can also be caused by poorly kept toilets with no running water. However, research shows these diseases can be prevented by simply washing one’s hands before eating. Prevention can also take the form of better infrastructure for distributing and treating water. Currently, diarrheal diseases are one of the most common diseases in Benin. But they don’t have to remain that way.
Preterm Birth Complications
In Benin, preterm birth complications are the leading cause of neonatal death. A total of 217 years of life are lost every year because of complications during a pregnancy in Benin. Unfortunately, only 61 percent of the female population seek antenatal care. However, this can be changed. UNICEF currently has detailed strategies on their website outlining essential practice for prenatal and newborn care. By welding data with on-the-ground experience, doctors in Benin can reduce preterm birth complications.
The common diseases in Benin can seem scary and alien from far away. But when examined, it’s clear that many of these diseases are preventable. Organizations like UNICEF and WHO have already started to make a difference. And you can make a difference too. Call your representatives, and ask for our government do more to help those in need.
– Adesuwa Agbonile
Photo: Flickr
How the Internet is Improving Healthcare in Nigeria
One possible solution shortly, as put forward by Vodacom, is the Internet of Things (IoT). Vodacom is a communication company based in Africa and majority owned by Vodafone, one of the largest communication companies in the world. Kaduna, one of Nigeria’s 36 states, has recently partnered with Vodacom to launch a state-wide technology based healthcare system called SMS for Life 2.0.
This technology-based system is grounded in the Internet of Things, or the idea that “anything that can be connected, will be connected.” Technology is moving towards a future in which any given device can have a switch to the internet or other devices, including items like lamps, washing machines and other devices that historically have nothing to do with communication. The idea is that there will be increased opportunity for efficiency, productivity and safety.
What this looks like about healthcare in Nigeria, specifically the state of Kaduna, is more than 250 facilities currently using this digital form of healthcare with plans to implement it throughout the rest of the country, especially due to increasing chronic illnesses. Vodacom’s future goals include making essential medicines more available to citizens and more efficient healthcare delivery.
Lanre Kolade, managing director of Vodacom Business Nigeria, says, “IoT can be used to increase access to healthcare by extending the scope of care services to rural and hard-to-reach areas and ensuring that essential medicines are available where and when they are needed. This technology is powering connected medical services that enable healthcare professionals to diagnose and consult with patients and first responders remotely, no matter where they are.”
While systems implementing this idea of the Internet of Things allow for endless connections, it also includes challenges that society will have to wade through, such as security and privacy. The boundaries between helping people and monitoring their every move have yet to get explored.
– Ellen Ray
Photo: Flickr
On the Poverty Rate in Austria
According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the poverty rate is the ratio of the number of people whose earnings fall below the poverty line. The poverty line is half the median household revenue of the total population. The World Factbook shows poverty is on the minor end of the spectrum in Austria but, despite low percentages, continues to exist.
Children 17 years old and younger are most affected. A 2016 OECD report shows that 9.1 percent of Austrian children live in a household with a disposable income of less than half of the Austrian median income. This number was seven percent in 2007. It is also interesting to note that among children living in Austria, 17.5 percent say that they have been bullied in the last two months. This is the second highest share in the OECD area.
In an evaluation of Austria’s well-being for 2016, the country performed close to the OECD average. Austrian households have higher net adjusted disposable income and experience lower work insecurity.
However, The Economic Survey of Austria of 2017 shows Austria is struggling to adjust towards digitalization. Digital transformation is altering the relationship between the wealthy and the poor. Well-educated people are adjusting quickly to global trends in technology, while older generations, the less educated and immigrants are falling behind. This creates unequal opportunity within the country and raises questions about those on the lower end entering the future workforce.
While Austria continues to struggle with growing child poverty rates and the digital era, 94.4 percent of Austrians are satisfied with the quality of water and air in the region. In regard to support, 92.5 percent of Austrians report having friends or relatives that they can rely on in times of trouble.
Based on economic status and results of well-being, the poverty rate in Austria can be drastically reduced. A possible solution to Austria’s largest problems could be an increase in the state budget for welfare assistance. The State could also create support structures for children being bullied or coming into school systems from low-income families. Equal opportunity and digital training must also be available for anyone entering the workforce so that older generations, the less educated and immigrants don’t get left behind.
– Emilee Wessel
Photo: Flickr
Common Diseases in Marshall Islands
Communicable Diseases
However, to avoid certain diseases, the Centers for Disease Control recommend the following vaccinations for those traveling to the area.
Zika is a risk, as well as typhoid and Hepatitis A. Visitors need to be vigilant against mosquito bites, and avoid eating food from street vendors. Zika can also spread through sexual intercourse, so condoms are recommended. Typhoid can spread through contaminated food or water.
Since there is no vaccine for Zika, travelers should take special care. They should pack mosquito repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, stay in air-conditioned areas, make sure there are window screens, use permathin to treat tents and other materials (shoes, socks, shirts, etc.) and sleep under a mosquito net.
Persons infected with Zika frequently don’t feel sick. It is important to prevent mosquito bites three weeks after returning. This is because if a traveler has the virus, a mosquito can bite her and potentially spread the disease to other people.
Persons with Zika should not take aspirin-based products or ibuprofen. Rest and drink liquids, and see your doctor.
Non-Communicable Diseases
In terms of other common diseases in the Marshall Islands, cardiovascular issues lead the way. Second are diabetes, urogenital, blood and endocrine diseases, with chronic respiratory problems third.
Life expectancy in the Marshall Islands hovers around 65 years. According to a 2013 report, the deadliest diseases in the nation were diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Because of climate change, the Marshall Islands are slowly disappearing. Many islanders have relocated to various regions of the United States. However, despite finding employment more easily in the U.S., the majority find the American health care system in the hard to navigate.
In the Marshall Islands, consultations are $5 per visit. Marshall Islanders living on the mainland tend to send family members who need care to Oregon or California for more generous benefits that are not available in Arkansas, where many of them live.
One of the common diseases in the Marshall Islands is cancer. Another is thyroid disorders. Diabetes is very high among Marshall Islanders and those living in the United States. A combination of nuclear testing and the U.S. Military presence, combined with needed relocation due to unlivable conditions on the island have contributed to the diabetes/cancer/thyroid problems.
Their diet may also be a cause for many of these problems. Marshall Islanders traditionally had a diet of fresh fish, breadfruit and coconut. Now, it’s processed foods and white rice. However, education and attempts to improve quality of life in the Marshall Islands may improve the nation’s citizens’ health, as well.
– Gloria Diaz
Photo: Flickr
Kenyan Teenagers Develop an App Fighting FGM
I-Cut offers help to girls that are in danger of FGM or have already experienced it: it connects them to rescue centers and gives them information about where to get legal or medical help. In situations of immediate risk, girls can also use the app’s panic button to alert local authorities.
FGM was outlawed in Kenya in 2001 already. Its prevalence has since declined: from 37 percent in the late ’90s to 21 percent in 2014. Young women today are less likely to get cut than their mothers.
A 2014 study found that the prevalence of FGM in Kenya gets linked to the levels of education, socioeconomic status and media exposure. Additionally, girls are at a higher risk of being cut in rural areas. The highest prevalence got found in the North Eastern province, where 97 percent of women had undergone the procedure.
FGM does not entail any health benefits, but the risk of numerous immediate and long-term risks to the victims’ physical and mental health. Possible effects include infections, death, urinary and sexual problems, death, childbirth complications, PTSD, depression and anxiety.
I-cut was developed by Ivy and Macrine Akinyi, Cynthia Awuor, Stacy Adhiambo and Purity Christine, aged 15 to 17, who call themselves the “Restorers.” In an interview with Reuters, the girls said they had friends who became victims of FGM, and that they wanted to “restore hope to hopeless girls.”
The team beat nine other Kenyan semi-finalists and qualified for the finale of the Technovation Challenge, an annual event sponsored by Google, Verizon and the United Nations. Technovation challenges girls to create apps that address problems in their communities and translate them into a business. It aims at teaching girls entrepreneurial and leadership skills.
The girls will compete against five other teams of girls from all over the world in the competition’s senior division and hope to win $15,000 with their app fighting FGM.
However, it is not merely about winning. As Owino states, “Whether we win or not, our perspective of the world and the possibilities it has will change for the better.”
– Lena Riebl
Photo: Flickr
Hunger in Liechtenstein Virtually Nonexistent
Liechtenstein is a small country bordering Switzerland on the west side and Austria on the east side. Its GDP is the highest in the world, with people living there making an equivalent average of about $139,100 per year.
Note that the cost of living in Liechtenstein is only 33 percent higher than in the United States, even though they make on average 2.4 times as much as American citizens do. It is unimaginable that poverty can exist in such a wealthy country. However, we must ask, does poverty– or even hunger– in Liechtenstein exist?
The answer is: essentially, no. It is not hunger in the traditional sense, where people are starving or going hungry. In the case of Liechtenstein, there are some people who are not making enough money to have “disposable” income.
In the U.S., this is taken for granted. There are an estimated 45 million Americans living under the poverty line (2013), with 58 million Americans working for minimum wage. However, Liechtenstein doesn’t seem to have any people living under the poverty line, mainly because it has strong social services that tackle the problems of poverty or hunger before they even arise.
A 2008 estimate of households living in conditions that are called “Einkommensschwach,” which literally translates to “weak income” (low-income), is at 11 percent. This is about 3,000 people out of its population of 37,000.
Note that “Einkommensschwach” does not mean “living under the poverty line,” it just means a low-income household. Thus, these numbers convey people’s income even after social services have come into effect. The limit to be considered “Einkommenschwach” is about the equivalent of $28,000 per year.
However, social services in Liechtenstein are so powerful, it basically eradicates all hunger in Liechtenstein, as well as true poverty. During a meeting, the social minister in Liechtenstein even asked the question “With such high incomes, can we really speak about poverty? Wouldn’t this even be unethical to make such a comparison with other countries?”
In other words, not only is hunger in Liechtenstein not a considerable issue, it is even questionable if one can talk about poverty in Liechtenstein at all.
– Michal Burgunder
Photo: Pixabay
Pros & Cons of Alleviating Poverty Through Tourism
There are multiple factors that make the tourism industry well-suited for poverty alleviation. The first is the substantial “size and growth of the sector,” which has the potential to sustain development in many developing countries. Through foreign exchange earnings and job creation generated by the tourism industry, alleviating poverty through tourism is made possible. Currently, “tourism contributes to 5 percent of the world’s GDP” and has generated 253 million jobs.
Tourism also has the potential for sustainable growth in developing countries as tourist destinations diversify. In fact, tourism is already the “first or second source of export earnings” among 20 out of 48 of the world’s least-developed countries. For some of these nations, tourism accounts for more than 25 percent of GDP. Alleviating poverty through tourism in these areas would be highly effective as long as tourism is focused on development.
Developing countries have a “comparative advantage” in tourism because tourists look for many features that these nations share. These features include “warm climate, rich cultural heritage, inspiring landscapes and abundant biodiversity.” With these features being most apparent in rural areas, poverty may be alleviated by making destinations out of poorer places.
The tourism industry is also relatively labor-intensive and generates jobs that require little investment. This opens up job opportunities for many people in developing countries including women, young people and minorities. Tourism provides connectivity between sectors and links consumers to producers. Multiple economic sectors benefit from tourism as touring consumers buy a variety of goods. With this connection, both the consumers and producers benefit from increased local investment.
Although there are many pros to alleviating poverty through tourism, developing countries are not seeing the impact from tourism that most may expect. The Global Tourism Dashboard measured the impacts of tourism in 2016 and determined that only 5.6 percent of tourism expenditure went to developing countries. Instead of benefiting these nations, global tourism benefits the economic exchange of rich countries.
For the $79 billion that was spent in 2016 by tourists in developing nations, much of this money did not make a significant impact. The little impact tourism is making is exemplified by Thailand, which is the world’s fourth-most popular destination yet is still classified as a developing country. This shows that cash injection does not necessarily lead to development.
Before tourism can make a profound impact on developing countries, the problem of “leakage” needs to be addressed. Leakage is when a country is spending a “considerable proportion of tourist dollars before they can multiply in the local economy.” This is a significant problem as leakage ranges from 40 to 80 percent in developing countries. Alleviating poverty through tourism will take more than simply expanding the tourism industry.
Although tourism is not currently the most effective way to alleviate poverty, there is still potential for the industry. Countries such as Samoa, Ecuador, Fiji and South Africa are all examples of how tourism can factor into development. For Samoa specifically, tourism is “one of the economy’s main pillars” as the industry contributed to 20 percent of its GDP. This was done through leakage reduction, concentration on local development and investment in training for tourism jobs by the government.
Aside from governmental regulations in developing countries, alleviating poverty through tourism can be made possible through international and individual assistance. International organizations can assist tourism industries in developing countries through financing “transport connectivity” to reduce leakage. Also, training locals for tourism jobs so that the industry can be run by domestic stakeholders is critical for potential development. On an individual level, tourists can support development by making “ethical travel choices.” This means “going local” to benefit the local community rather than deciding to visit and invest in typical tourist destinations.
There is potential for alleviating poverty through tourism as long as developing nations are given the assistance needed to make it work.
– Haley Hurtt
Photo: Flickr
Progress in the Fight Against HIV in Swaziland
With more than 27 percent of the adult population infected in 2016, Swaziland is the country with the highest HIV prevalence in the world. UNICEF reports that the epidemic’s effects are felt across all aspects of society: the high prevalence of the virus draws financial resources from other priority areas and burdens the country’s health system. It also affects capital accumulation and productivity negatively. Families and communities are disrupted by the virus and the number of orphans and vulnerable children has increased.
In the past years, prevention and treatment to fight the HIV epidemic were scaled up significantly in the small monarchy. The Swazi government received support for these efforts from the U.S. government President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief program (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Swaziland’s strategy to contain the further spread of HIV is to dose patients with antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) immediately after they have tested positive, regardless of their health status.
ARVs drive down the HIV level in the blood, therefore reducing the risk of transmission of the virus. The concept of treatment-as-prevention aims to contain the further spread of the HI virus, and is “a major part of the solution to ending the HIV epidemic”, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The number of adults with HIV in Swaziland who have their viral load suppressed has doubled in the past five years and is now at more than 73 percent, according to the second Swaziland HIV Incidence Measurement Survey.
PEPFAR director Deborah Birx emphasizes that this method does not eliminate HIV in the country, but it can “contract the epidemic on our way to vaccine and a cure.”
The Swazi Ministry of Health has also developed a plan to encourage boys and men to get circumcised voluntarily. In the past years, an increased number of males opted for circumcision. According to the WHO, there is “compelling evidence” that circumcision lower the risk of female-to-male transmissions by 60 percent.
These up-scaled efforts to fight HIV in Swaziland have come to fruition: compared to 2011, the rate of new infections was cut by 44 percent.
In addition to these successes, the incidence survey also brings light to “key gaps that remain in reaching younger men and women with HIV services,” Birx said. People aged 15 to 24 are lagging behind older age groups; they were found to be less likely to know their status, and of those receiving treatment, a quarter did not suppress their infections.
Not only does the information from the survey offer an opportunity for the Swazi government to improve its efforts further and increase focus on the population groups with the greatest need, but it also adds important scientific evidence to the research about the treatment-as-prevention method.
Sibongile Ndlela-Simelane from the Ministry of Health said, in reaction to the study’s outcomes: “We are very encouraged by this progress. We understand that the battle is not over, and therefore we must maintain the momentum.”
– Lena Riebl
New Apps That Are Helping Refugees
Tarjimly is a new translator app that connects volunteer translators to people, such as refugees or immigrants, who need translations in real-time for medical or legal purposes. Tarjimly acts as a Facebook messenger bot connecting an immigrant or refugee to a translator in an anonymous conversation. This app just recently launched in February of this year and already has more than 2,000 translators signed up.
Arrived is another app that is helping refugees gain quick access to information. Called “the hub of immigrant information,” this app is free and is available on Apple and Android phones. One of the things the app provides is the latest news about immigration. This news section also provides analysis of legislative proposals and actions in Washington. Arrived also provides information about deportation processes, English lessons and a study guide for citizenship tests. There is a section of answered questions that are most common that have been researched and a map to show law clinics and sanctuary cities in the U.S.
RedadAlertas is a web app that has not been released yet but will be arriving soon. Created by Celso Mireles who was previously an undocumented immigrant, this app delivers alerts about what is happening in different areas. Notifications about areas that have ICE raids, checkpoints or any type of confrontation will be sent out to its users. The app will work through crowdsourcing, which relies on people at scenes of an area to verify and provide details about what is happening. RedadAlertas hopes to help vulnerable immigrants in risk areas while also allowing legal aid groups, community organizations or activists to help immigrants.
These apps are helping refugees and immigrants around the world. These apps are versatile and all free so that they can be accessible to all users. By providing access to information, translators and up to date notifications these apps are allowing refugees and immigrants to get the help they may need.
– Deanna Wetmore
Photo: Flickr