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Major Diseases in Luxembourg in Line with Global Trends


According to the 2014 Euro Health Consumer Index, Luxembourg ranks eighth in Europe for comprehensive healthcare. This makes sense, given the fact that Luxembourg is the wealthiest country in the EU. Even so, Luxembourg still faces diseases that threaten its citizens. This article examines the most major diseases in Luxembourg and what measures have been taken to advance patient care and lower mortality rates.

Most prevalent of the major diseases in Luxembourg is cardiovascular disease. According to the statistics portal funded by the Government of Luxembourg, in the year 2014, cardiovascular diseases caused approximately 31.2 percent of deaths. Ischemic heart diseases, as well as other forms of heart disease such as heart failure and cardiac arrest, were the leading causes of death within this category.

Cancer causes 30.6 percent of deaths in the country. Cancers of the digestive system accounted for the highest rate of death in this category, followed closely by cancers of the respiratory system. These two cancers alone cause 52.5 percent of cancerous deaths in Luxembourg.

Respiratory diseases account for 6.97 percent of deaths. Chronic lower respiratory diseases, such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, influenza and pneumonia result in the most deaths, 76 percent, within this category.

The top diseases in Luxembourg align with global health trends. The World Health Organization found that cardiovascular diseases are the most deadly diseases all over the world, contributing close to 15 million of the 54 million deaths in 2015.

Luxembourg’s government has taken steps to combat some of these diseases in an effort to lower mortality rates. For instance, the Ministry of Health has implemented a four-year national cancer plan from 2014-2018. This plan is designed to develop cancer prevention methods and improve recovery processes.

Like so many other countries around the world, Luxembourg has made it its mission to find a way to not only combat the major diseases but also to better the lives of its citizens.

– Harry Meiteen

Photo: Flickr

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10 Things You Should Know About Refugees in Estonia

10 Things You Should Know About Estonian Refugees
Tucked away in the far-eastern corner of Europe, bordering Russia, lies the small Baltic State of Estonia. It may not be the most well-known member of the European Union, but nonetheless, Estonia is proving a valuable asset in the EU’s response to the growing refugee crisis.

Here are 10 things you should know about refugees in Estonia:

  1. Refugees in Estonia primarily come from Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia.
  2. Estonia has not received as many applications for asylum as other EU member states, but the number of applicants is steadily growing. As of March 2016, Estonia had accepted 107 quota refugees–87 from Greece and 20 from Turkey. Estonia has also agreed to take in about 500 people over the next two years.
  3. Estonia has one of the best welfare support systems in Europe. Estonia currently offers every refugee free housing and income support for two years. Refugees also receive benefits including language courses, translators and assistance in finding employment. They receive the same unemployment and welfare benefits available to Estonian citizens, as long as they remain in Estonia.
  4. Refugees in Estonia have one of the best advocates in the EU, Riina Kionka, the chief foreign policy advisor to the president of the European Council. She is passionate about the refugee crisis, as her mother was an Estonian refugee that came to the U.S., where Kionka was born. She stated that she believes Estonians should be at the forefront of helping refugees, “given Estonia’s history, with so many of its compatriots having been welcomed by other countries as refugees after the second World War and during the Soviet occupation.”
  5. Refugees come to Estonia mainly through relocation programs, not resettlement. Estonia and Italy are currently negotiating a relocation agreement, in which Estonia will take on some of the influx of refugees surging into Italy. This agreement has been discussed for several months, but predicted to close soon. Estonia is already relocating refugees from Greece and Turkey through a similar agreement.
  6. Estonia’s retention rate of refugees is one of the lowest in all of Europe. As of May 2017, more than 25 percent of the 150 refugees taken in by Estonia had left the country. Most refugees coming in do not choose Estonia; the EU assigned them to the country in an effort to spread the number of refugees across Europe. Many are disappointed with the cold climate and discouraged by the low-paying jobs they secure, which often contrast deeply with what they had in their home countries.
  7. The greatest challenge refugees in Estonia face is their own expectations. Many refugees, especially the ones relocated from other EU countries, find themselves discontent with life in Estonia. Analysts from Estonia’s relocation program trace this dissatisfaction to social media, as most of the refugees “spent the past year stuck in Greece…seeing the successes of refugees who landed in Germany or Sweden through the filters of Facebook and Instagram.”
  8. Refugees living in Estonia are among the most welcomed in all of Europe. Anti-migrant attitudes are growing dangerously fast across the rest of Europe, but there has been little backlash in Estonia. Seeing as how the country was deeply divided over the refugee crisis only a few years ago, this signals a great shift in the country’s mindset. Communities and families alike are coming together to try and make refugees feel welcome, helping the newcomers furnish their apartments and even giving out winter clothes to shield refugees from Estonia’s colder climate.
  9. Refugees living in Estonia have some of the best chances at integrating into the society of their host country. The government has spread its refugees all across the country, especially to sparsely populated rural areas, in order to give refugees a better chance at immersion. Children are immediately enrolled in schools, and adults receive help learning Estonian and English and coaching on finding jobs. The goal of the resettlement process is to empower refugees to support themselves and no longer need government benefits.
  10. If the refugees can’t come to Estonia, Estonians are going to them. The Estonian Refugee Council has substantially increased its efforts to reach refugees, especially in the Luhansk, Donetsk and Zaporizhia oblasts of Ukraine. In April alone, they delivered hundreds of humanitarian aid packages consisting of food, hygiene products and blankets. Estonians also increased support for these efforts, as the ERC gathered 34,876 euros by the end of April 2017 in donations alone.

Though there is still work to do, Estonia is setting a strong example for the world by warmly welcoming refugees. Estonia’s approach to the refugee crisis will contribute significantly to resolving the refugee crisis and will hopefully inspire its EU counterparts to implement similar tactics.

– Sydney Cooney

Photo: Flickr

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Government Intervention Spawns Hope for Water Quality in Tonga


Poor water quality is a prevalent epidemic in the Polynesian islands of Tonga. Despite the fairly steady supply of water in the islands, sourced from rainwater catchment systems and groundwater, water quality in Tonga needs improvement to prevent potentially deadly waterborne illnesses. The inability to access appropriate sanitation, as well as the cultural absence of hygienic attitudes, led the Tongan government to intervene in community affairs.

A major contributor to poor water quality in Tonga is the lack of any statistical information about water distribution or a centralized sewage system. No data exchange systems have been enforced because much of the country’s water consumption is managed at a communal level, bearing little to no legislative authority. Although Tonga’s Ministry of Health attempted to keep the water supply free from wastewater contamination, the local community remains in control of wastewater due to the culture of the islands.

Another factor that inhibits water quality in Tonga is that the population has grown by 46,000 people in the last decade, according to the Pacific Community. The steady increase of population created greater pressure on how the water supply is managed and treated. It is now more important than ever for Tonga to ensure that the quality of water is acceptable.

Despite the absence of authority regarding water resources, the Tongan government recently enforced the Water Supply Plan. The World Health Organization defines this as “a risk assessment and risk management plan for water supplies that, when implemented, reduces or eliminates the water becoming contaminated by pathogens, chemical or through physical means.” Part of this plan includes educational programs which are also successful in raising cautionary awareness towards water quality and personal sanitation.

The road to improvement for Tongan water quality is optimistic. According to the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, external aid from the EU provided 1.1 million euros to address water security for the Kingdom of Tonga, which is used for innovative technology to make collecting and cleaning water more efficient and secure. However, establishing lasting improvement of the water quality in Tonga is ultimately dependent on members of the community who must comply with the governmental pleas to change.

– Mary Hocker

Photo: Flickr

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Poverty in Yemen: An Exploration of Why the Country is So Poor

Poverty in Yemen : Why the Country Is So Poor?
Poverty in Yemen holds one of the highest rates in the Arab world. Half of the population lives on less than two dollars per day.

The main reason for poverty in Yemen is a lack of basic resources, such as water, healthcare and education. Rural and remote areas make it physically, intellectually, economically and socially isolated from rest of the region.

Beyond this, Yemen faces may other problems as well. Most of the population does not have access to clean water and proper sanitation. Ten million people–nearly half of the population–go without enough food to eat. Child malnutrition rates are the highest in the world. Half of the children under the age of five are stunted. Girls often get married before the age of 15 and never receive a formal education. Illiteracy among women is currently at 49 percent. Yemen ranks 140th out of 182 countries on the United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index.

 

Exploring Leading Causes of Poverty in Yemen

 

The poverty crisis is related to the violence and chronic hunger in Yemen. An 18-month civil war in Yemen has killed 10,000 people. It pushed the country toward a famine and increased the poverty in Yemen. Eighty percent of the population requires humanitarian assistance.

The civil war has made conditions difficult for economic growth. There are two internal conflicts in the country. The southern conflict is between the government and extremist religious groups called the Houthis. The north of Yemen faces a conflict between the government and Al Qaeda. This conflict has lasted for more than 10 years.

Government corruption and nepotism is also widespread, and government officials only elect relatives or those who are going to pay bribes. A lack of jobs even among graduates has forced young adults to the streets, leading to even more widespread poverty in Yemen.

Furthermore, the country’s infrastructure is very inadequate, and only 15 percent of the rural population is covered by the national electric grid. Transportation is expensive and the poor road networks obstruct travel.

The Gulf crisis led to the massive return of migrant workers who do not have an income or prospects of employment, further exasperating poverty rates in Yemen.

The United Nations World Food Programme delivers hope by working to fight poverty in Yemen. The organization reaches six million Yemenis with lifesaving food, meals for school children and sustainability projects such as rainwater conservation and irrigation. Ending poverty in Yemen will require the government to take responsibility of its citizens at the end of the civil war.

– Aishwarya Bansal

Photo: Flickr

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Efforts to Improve Abysmal Water Quality in Bahrain


The Kingdom of Bahrain is a group of islands located in the southern waters of the Persian Gulf in the Middle East. Comprising 40 islands, Bahrain was ranked as the second-largest user of water per square centimeter of land in the world, according to the Bahrain Economic Development Board, which is a disproportionately large level of water consumption for its size. Water quality in Bahrain continues to be a prominent problem despite efforts toward water security.

In the early 1900s, a majority of Bahrain’s water came from freshwater springs that flowed through the northern part of the country. After 1980, freshwater stopped flowing while the demand for drinkable water increased alongside population size.

Bahrain was listed among the top 10 countries that are the most likely to suffer from a water crisis in the next 25 years in a report released by the World Resources Institute. According to the study of 167 countries, 33 countries, half of which are in the Middle East, are at risk of facing a severe water crisis by 2040.

Water quality in Bahrain is further affected by the extremely high salinity of its accessible water. In 2008, AQUASTAT, a program measuring water quality within the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization, reported that “over-utilization of the Dammam aquifer, the principal aquifer in Bahrain, by the agricultural and domestic sectors has led to its salinization through water coming from adjacent brackish and saline water bodies.”

Salinization refers to the toxic buildup of salt content within a natural resource. Bahrain relies heavily on unconventional sources of water, including its four desalination plants. Water desalination plays a crucial role in water security for the nation. A possible solution to a lack of freshwater would be to extract it from the surrounding sea.

According to a study done in 2013, records reveal that the rate of growth of water demand has been on average four percent per year. Despite the implementation of increased desalination efforts, the Kingdom of Bahrain continues to suffer from the water shortage due to population increase, industrial development, commercial growth and tourism projects.

One solution appears to be the creation of water storage facilities throughout the country. As a large part of its water security system, storage tanks of potable water are used to ensure supply during crisis situations. In 2013, the storage tanks held a water capacity that could ensure the survival of the nation for two days in case of extreme emergency conditions, leading to improvement of water quality in Bahrain.

Ninety percent of water in Bahrain is secured through desalination processes. Water security remains a high priority, with the government seeking the aid of the Water Resources Council of the Kingdom of Bahrain. In the council’s most recent meeting in February, Abdul Rahman Al Mahmoud, Water and Science Technology Association (WSTA) President, briefed Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, the Deputy Prime Minister of Bahrain.

The council encourages interest in the science of water, training programs, the development of local capacity and contribution to public awareness programs that achieve the optimal use of water. It also encourages the use of scientific methods for the development of various water sources, according to a press release by the WSTA. Despite current efforts, improving water quality in Bahrain remains one of the country’s top national concerns.

– Riley Bunch

Photo: Flickr

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Ending Extreme Poverty: 10 Facts About the World Bank

10 Facts About the World Bank
Since 1944, the World Bank has built a massive global partnership with two major goals fueling its work. It is working to end extreme poverty by 2030 and to increase the poorest population’s share of national wealth in each country.

Below are 10 facts about the World Bank:

  1. The World Bank is just what its name says: a bank, albeit on a larger scale. Providing loans, knowledge and guidance, the organization works with governments, the private sector, civil society organizations and regional development banks.
  2. The organization was started over 70 years ago and was first called The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Originally the organization worked to improve conditions in countries devastated by World War II, but this quickly evolved into efforts to end global poverty once and for all.
  3. There are now 189 countries who are members of the World Bank Group. This means only seven countries in the world are not members of the institution. The leading members of the Group are the U.S., Japan, Germany, France and the U.K.
  4. The World Bank consists of five organizations: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, The International Development Association, The International Finance Corporation, The Multilateral Guarantee Agency and The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.
  5. In 2015, the organization made 302 global commitments totaling $60 billion.
  6. So where does this money come from? The World Bank is backed by subscriptions paid by its member countries, bond flotations (money made from issuing new securities and expenses) from international markets and earnings from its own assets.
  7. The World Bank attributes much of its success to its diverse staff of economists, professionals in public policy and social scientists.
  8. The organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C., but today more than one-third of its staff are located in individualized country offices.
  9. Four issues that the World Bank has identified as standing before its goals are as follows: access to schools, healthcare, electricity and safe water.
  10. The World Bank’s impact is visible. In 2013, an estimated 10.7 percent of the world’s population lived in extreme poverty. Though this is nowhere near a stopping point, it is less than half of the percentage estimated in 1990.

These 10 facts about the World Bank illustrate its mission and actions that are making dramatic changes internationally. The organization has a new goal of ending global poverty by 2030 by lowering the number of people who make less than $1.90 a day to three percent.

– Emily Trosclair

Photo: Flickr

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Major Diseases in Moldova, One of Europe’s Poorest Countries

Diseases in Moldova
The Republic of Moldova is a parliamentary republic that has implemented an ambitious economic reform program. Agriculture dominates the economy, and the country depends on imports for energy needs. Moldova remains the poorest country in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) European region, although it has made significant progress in economic growth. It had an estimated per capita gross national income of $1810 USD in 2010, according to the World Bank. Life expectancy estimates are two to five years higher than the other countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Most deaths are a result of diseases in Moldova. Both communicable and noncommunicable diseases have been increasing steadily since the country’s independence in 1991.

The most common causes of death in the country are circulatory system diseases, followed by cancer and digestive system diseases. Most of the deaths caused by diseases in Moldova are related to heavy alcohol and tobacco use, although chronic liver disease and cirrhosis rates have decreased over the last five years.

Key challenges in the fight against diseases in Moldova also include HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. The prevalence of tuberculosis has been rising since 1990 and has more than doubled to date, reaching 182 per 100,000 people. The most dramatic rate increase is in children.

The deadliest risk factors for diseases in Moldova are dietary risks, high systolic blood pressure and high body mass index. Lesser risks include tobacco smoke, alcohol and drug use and high fasting plasma glucose.

While Moldova has quite a bit of work to do, being number one in death rates due to liver diseases, number five in prostatic hypertrophy and number seven in both coronary heart disease and congenital anomalies, it is on the road to better lives for its citizens. It is pushing to reduce poverty, with many Millennium Development Goals being developed and maintained. The country is also working to develop agricultural sustainability and many different ways of importing medicine and products that will help with rates of diseases in Moldova.

– Rilee Pickle

Photo: Flickr

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Can Re-Elected President Hassan Rouhani Help Fix the Poverty in Iran?

Can Re-Elected President Hassan Rouhani Help Fix the Poverty in Iran?
During Iran’s recent presidential election, one issue was on the minds of most citizens: how is the new president going to end poverty in Iran?

In 2016, Iran’s unemployment rates reached 70 percent in at least 1,200 towns. Fifteen million Iranians are deprived of even the most basic social services. Much of this unemployment and consequent poverty suggests that the assets gained from the suspension of economic sanctions from the 2015 nuclear deal did not reach the population. The new president has the power to dictate whether Iran becomes a bigger part of the global economy. This led to the deal which passed, rather than pursuing the traditional economic isolation that the country previously had.

With all this going on in Iran, poverty was on the minds of many during this election. Candidates Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim and Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf both pledged to tackle corruption and poverty in Iran should they be elected. Qalibaf criticized the former Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, on his economic performances. “There are many poor people with low incomes in a country rich in both natural and human resources,” Qalibaf said in an interview with PressTV. “We have made plans to salvage the economy by the agency of the very people. The country has the capacity, but this cannot come about through traditional, conservative and rent-seeking-based management styles.”

In the elections, held on May 19, Hassan Rouhani won re-election by a landslide with 57 percent of the vote. Despite poor economic conditions, the people of Iran have decided to give Rouhani a second chance to deliver on his promises of alleviating poverty and reforming the government. Iran’s current government is run by a religious leader, with the president playing a big role in foreign affairs and other political decisions.

However, many Iranians want a government that supports more human rights and social freedoms. While Iran now has more access to social media and the internet, activists and journalists are still being jailed for speaking out against the government.

With Rouhani in office, the people of Iran hope that he will take the uphill climb to help Iran’s economy and social situations.

– Kelsey Jackson

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Croatian Refugees

10 Facts About Croatia Refugees
Croatia is a top tourist destination with its long, beautiful coastline along the Adriatic Sea, and tourism accounts for 17 percent of country’s annual gross national product. However, over the past 25 years, the country has been in headlines for something quite different. The Balkan Wars of the 1990s saw a large number of Croatian refugees leaving the country. In addition, the Syrian refugee crisis of the last few years has caused an influx of foreign refugees into Croatia. Syrian, Afghan and Iraqi refugees began arriving in Croatia in 2015. Below are 10 facts about Croatian refugees.

  1. Croatia declared its independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. This resulted in a war that lasted until 1995. During this time, 900,000 Croats were displaced both inside and outside the country.
  2. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 300,000 ethnic Serbs left Croatia in August 1995 after a military conflict. In turn, 130,000 ethnic Croats left Bosnia and Herzegovina for Croatia.
  3. War broke out in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992. During the war, an estimated 403,000 refugees arrived in Croatia as a result of the conflict.
  4. The Croatian refugees who left the country began returning in 1996. By 2012, more than 132,600 of the Croatian refugees of Serbian descent had returned to Croatia. One of the main issues impeding their return was housing. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has worked to help alleviate this problem as well as the legal, social and technical issues that arise for returning refugees.
  5. In 2015, Croatia faced new refugee challenges, when a huge wave of Syrian refugees arrived en route to northern Europe. During this influx, more than 800,000 people passed through Croatia.
  6. During this period, there were two refugee camps set up in Croatia, and the government provided free transport for refugees to Hungary and later to Slovenia.
  7. On September 16, 2015, Croatia became one of the main transit countries when Hungary closed its borders to refugees. Since then, the country sees approximately 12,000 entries each day.
  8. The Balkan refugee route was effectively closed in March of 2016, when Slovenia closed its borders to migrants, and Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia quickly followed suit. The aim was to end the flow of migrants to Europe through the Balkans.
  9. As a member of the European Union, Croatia has an obligation to abide by a plan to relocate refugees from Greece and Italy, countries where the most refugees have arrived.
  10. Croatia has agreed to receive a total of 1,600 asylum-seekers by the end of 2017 as agreed with the EU resettlement scheme.

These 10 facts about Croatian refugees demonstrate that the refugees that left Croatia in the 1990s as well as those that have entered the country since 2015 have brought Croatia into world headlines for the last quarter of a century.

– Jene Cates

Photo: Flickr

Fighting Waste in Bangladesh By Using Compost


Waste management is an increasingly daunting problem for the country of Bangladesh, where as much as 50 percent of waste goes uncollected. Uncollected waste goes untreated, resulting in more water contamination, disease and greenhouse gas emissions. Untreated waste generates methane, which is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Between 2005 and 2020, emissions as a result of untreated waste in Bangladesh are expected to rise 22 percent.

The capital city of Dhaka is not only the most densely populated area; it is also home to the worst waste management in the country. In 2010, Dhaka generated 4,700 metric tons of waste daily. Fortunately, 80 percent of the waste Bangladesh produces is organic material. Maqsood Sinha and Iftekhar Enayetullah saw this as an opportunity and decided to turn the organic waste in Bangladesh into something both profitable and beneficial to the community: compost.

The two enterprising men started an organization called Waste Concern and set up community-based composting. Several families (three to seven) share chest-high metal barrels into which they deposit their food scraps. The composting barrels hold up to 400 pounds of waste, sit on concrete bases and, through specially drilled holes, encourage aerobic decomposition.

Sinha and Enayetullah started Waste Concern in 1995, taking their barrels door-to-door. Since then, the organization has served 30,000 people in Dhaka city and 100,000 people in 14 other cities and towns in Bangladesh, including slums and low and middle-income communities. Composting the organic waste reduces methane emissions by half a ton and eliminates a significant amount of municipal waste. Community-based composting helps control waste in Bangladesh and also opens up job opportunities for low-income sectors, helping to lift people out of poverty.

The project has saved over $1 million in waste management due to the revenue created from the compost itself and the simple, cost-effective system needed to create it. As a result of its success as a small-scale operation in Dhaka, Waste Concern plans to expand into a bigger operation, consume more waste and dump out more compost.

The project’s growth reflects Bangladesh’s push to reduce the country’s waste output and strengthen its economic status. Getting the community involved not only decreases the waste in Bangladesh, but it also establishes an environment of accountability and family.

– Taylor Elgarten

Photo: Flickr