Asthma is often considered a burden of wealthy countries.
However, asthma is a public health problem that is increasing with globalization and modernization. Although diagnoses may differ, symptoms are present across all regions of the world. Sociological, economic and educational differences play a large part in the lack of diagnoses in developing nations.
Despite being a burden to high-income countries, most asthma-related deaths occur in low to middle-income countries.
According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, an estimated 300 million people worldwide suffer from asthma, with 250,000 annual deaths attributed to the disease.
However, there have not been reliable epidemiological studies to determine the magnitude of the disease in many developing countries.
Asthma is a difficult disease to tackle in developing countries. The limited data and the expense of the problem makes it difficult to diagnose. It typically takes two different asthma exacerbations less than six months apart for an individual to be officially diagnosed by a physician.
This can be troublesome for developing countries who may have as little as one physician for every 10,000 people. Rural locations can also have compliance and testing issues.
However, because the effects of asthma go hand-in-hand with the social determinants of health, impoverished countries are at a high risk for this “wealthy-nation-disease.” Increasing air pollution and rapid industrialization create ideal environments for asthma to thrive. Asthma is further complicated by poor access to medical services and high drug prices.
Chelsea Stone, a student at Drexel University’s School of Public Health, studies epidemiology and focuses on asthma in developing countries.
While Stone was conducting research in Haiti, she found that education was the biggest hurdle to treatment. Only half of the families surveyed in the Croix des Bouquets community knew or had heard of asthma, revealing a large gap in health education. Asthma surveys have to be worded in concise, culturally appropriate ways.
In other asthma studies, rates have varied from 3% to 30% depending on location and survey methods. Solomon, an older man, willingly discussed his asthma with Stone.
Asthma typically beings in early childhood, as it had with Solomon.
He explained that his symptoms are better than they were while living in New York City because of the climate. Solomon was educated on the disease, a significant factor in controlling asthma attacks. Since there wasn’t always medications available or access to the emergency department, Solomon used natural remedies, such as coconut oil, to help with asthma flare-ups.
Asthma education is a substantial part of controlling the disease and preventing asthma-related deaths. Since there is limited data on asthma in developing countries, there is little education as a result.
This lack of research generates an under-diagnosed and under-treated disease.
The burden imposed on individuals and families is restricting and socioeconomically hindering. The availability of modern medications can complicate treatment and management. Even if there is access to an emergency department, they may not be equipped with proper medication to control asthma.
Avoiding asthma triggers all together can also reduce the severity of asthma. Some argue that there is not enough education centered on asthma awareness and signs of these triggers. Asthma education and management should be taught not just at the community level, but also integrated into nation-wide health staff education.
– Maris Brummel
Sources: Elsvier, World Health Organization, NCBI
Asthma in Developing Countries
Asthma is often considered a burden of wealthy countries.
However, asthma is a public health problem that is increasing with globalization and modernization. Although diagnoses may differ, symptoms are present across all regions of the world. Sociological, economic and educational differences play a large part in the lack of diagnoses in developing nations.
Despite being a burden to high-income countries, most asthma-related deaths occur in low to middle-income countries.
According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, an estimated 300 million people worldwide suffer from asthma, with 250,000 annual deaths attributed to the disease.
However, there have not been reliable epidemiological studies to determine the magnitude of the disease in many developing countries.
Asthma is a difficult disease to tackle in developing countries. The limited data and the expense of the problem makes it difficult to diagnose. It typically takes two different asthma exacerbations less than six months apart for an individual to be officially diagnosed by a physician.
This can be troublesome for developing countries who may have as little as one physician for every 10,000 people. Rural locations can also have compliance and testing issues.
However, because the effects of asthma go hand-in-hand with the social determinants of health, impoverished countries are at a high risk for this “wealthy-nation-disease.” Increasing air pollution and rapid industrialization create ideal environments for asthma to thrive. Asthma is further complicated by poor access to medical services and high drug prices.
Chelsea Stone, a student at Drexel University’s School of Public Health, studies epidemiology and focuses on asthma in developing countries.
While Stone was conducting research in Haiti, she found that education was the biggest hurdle to treatment. Only half of the families surveyed in the Croix des Bouquets community knew or had heard of asthma, revealing a large gap in health education. Asthma surveys have to be worded in concise, culturally appropriate ways.
In other asthma studies, rates have varied from 3% to 30% depending on location and survey methods. Solomon, an older man, willingly discussed his asthma with Stone.
Asthma typically beings in early childhood, as it had with Solomon.
He explained that his symptoms are better than they were while living in New York City because of the climate. Solomon was educated on the disease, a significant factor in controlling asthma attacks. Since there wasn’t always medications available or access to the emergency department, Solomon used natural remedies, such as coconut oil, to help with asthma flare-ups.
Asthma education is a substantial part of controlling the disease and preventing asthma-related deaths. Since there is limited data on asthma in developing countries, there is little education as a result.
This lack of research generates an under-diagnosed and under-treated disease.
The burden imposed on individuals and families is restricting and socioeconomically hindering. The availability of modern medications can complicate treatment and management. Even if there is access to an emergency department, they may not be equipped with proper medication to control asthma.
Avoiding asthma triggers all together can also reduce the severity of asthma. Some argue that there is not enough education centered on asthma awareness and signs of these triggers. Asthma education and management should be taught not just at the community level, but also integrated into nation-wide health staff education.
– Maris Brummel
Sources: Elsvier, World Health Organization, NCBI
GFIA 2014: Innovations in Agriculture
Global populations are expected to eclipse the 8 billion mark by 2030. This will place an enormous strain on the global agriculture production and supply chain. The World Bank estimates that the rise in population will create a 50% increase in the demand for food. The world is in desperate need of innovative solutions in the agricultural sector in order to move into the future while raising approximately 870 million people out of hunger. The Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) is hoping to do just that. The forum, held in Abu Dhabi from Feb. 3 to Feb. 5 2014, highlighted over 30 agricultural solutions from leading entrepreneurs and start-up companies. The forum hosted 150 speakers from 28 countries, including Bill Gates. Gates addressed the crowds via VideoLink to incite the urgency of unleashing innovation in agriculture. Here are some noteworthy presentations from this year’s GFIA: Accordion Photobioreactor: Developed by University of Arizona, this instrument is used to grow green microalgae, which can be engineered to produce biofuels as an alternative to petroleum based fuels. The photobioreactor resembles an accordion-like frame and is built with flexible plastics that help keep costs low. Automated Weather Protector: This innovation uses an automated roofing system to enclose hectares of fields in minutes. The system is controlled by a weather monitoring station that analyzes temperature, wind, rain, and barometric pressure to protect crops against the hazardous elements of nature. Crop yields in environments prone to extreme weather can increase by up to 50%. The roofing also protects crops during extreme heat, reducing water usage. 3-D Modeling of Crops: Development in spatial sensor technology is providing farmers with data on crop and environmental factors. The sensors allow the farmers to quantify the spatial variability of their crops in order to manage their farms efficiently. Farmers can see which plant yields best results under certain spatial, soil, and environmental conditions. Water Saving Foam: When the foam is mixed with soil as a substrate, or used on its own in a hydroponic environment, it slowly discharges the absorbed water content in amounts just enough to irrigate plants with hardly any wastage. The foam prevents excessive water run-off, reduces wastage and contributes to efficient water utilization. The foam can be used in landscaping as well as hydroponic gardens. Although many of the ideas presented at GFIA 2014 are in their early stages, they are rudimentary examples of what we can hope to achieve if we continue to focus globally on sustainable agriculture. – Sunny Bhatt Sources: GFIA, World Food Programme, Khaleej Times Photo: Wn.com
Europe’s Growing Poverty Crisis
The financial crisis of 2007-2008 was one of the worst financial crises since The Great Depression of the 1930’s. It has had huge ramifications on every piece of the world’s economy and way of doing business. The bailout of Europe’s economy and banking system did its intended job and stabilized Europe’s markets. However, an Oxfam report put out in 2013 has laid out the far reaching implications of the severe cutbacks that saved Europe’s economy at risk of jeopardizing the livelihoods of millions upon millions of European families.
The Oxfam report “A Cautionary Tale” lays out the troubling details of the austerity programs that have been rolled out across Europe in response to the financial crisis and how they are taking Europe two steps backward instead of ensuring the stability and security of both Europe’s economy and its citizens. Oxfam’s report states that by 2025 there will be upwards of 15 to 25 million additional Europeans threatened by the specter of poverty if the measures that are currently in place are not seriously examined by the governments of Europe.
The reports also note that the amount of public spending that was cut from 2010 to 2014 will greatly decrease the amount of public sector jobs across Europe; 40 percent of Ireland’s GDP, 20 percent in the Baltic States, 12 percent in Spain and 11.5 percent in the U.K.. The report cites that due to these public spending cuts, in the United Kingdom alone 1.1 million jobs will be cut between 2010 and 2018. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) cites France as an example of the growing poverty crisis in Europe. According to the IFRC, an additional 350,000 people in France have fallen below the poverty line since 2009. In just under 4 years in France, that is almost 90,000 people.
The conundrum at play here is how does Europe go about ensuring that its economy continues to recover from the poverty crisis, while at the same time keeping poverty from consuming its citizens. The dangers of income inequality are also something that not only European nations but indeed all the nations of the world must work diligently to lessen, or otherwise risk another global financial collapse. Oxfam’s report lays out the detailed analyses of how this would occur. Increased income inequality in countries who are still recovering from the global financial crisis and long term periods of income inequality in countries lead to the sort of high rate high risk borrowing done by those who are more than likely not going to be able to pay these loan back to the banks. These sorts of inappropriate financial transactions greatly contributed to the financial crises that occurred in 2007 and 2008.
Governments will always cut costs in some fashion; it has come to be part of the current political climate. It is easy to slash spending for programs that are not perceived as essential for the immediate running of national affairs. However if Europe’s leaders do not monitor the situation, they could potentially set Europe’s recovery back by almost a decade according to Oxfam’s findings. Real wages in the United Kingdom and Portugal have dropped to 3.2 percent, which have set the value of wages in the United Kingdom to 2003 prices.
The leaders of the world’s nations that were hardest hit by the financial crisis have done a remarkable job in swooping in and preventing the total collapse of many of the world leading national economies. However if the current cost cutting measures that are in place which are supposed to be helping to push countries in the right direction are not seriously examined and examined soon, Europe faces serious implications for the future.
–Arthur Fuller
Sources: Oxfam, IFRC, The New York Times, CNBC
Photo: Europe Direct Leeds
The Brand Idea
Why should charities have a brand? Reading “The Brand Idea: Managing Nonprofit Brands With Integrity, Democracy and Affinity” by Nathalie Laidler-Kylander and Julia Shepard Stenzel may give audiences an answer. An interview with the author details the importance branding brings to the non-profit game.
Misconceptions about nonprofit organizations are that every one of them is basically doing the same thing: helping people in need. In the for-profit world, companies gain market share (customers) using their brand identity to differentiate themselves from their competition. The “Brand Idea” book explains why charity organizations should start taking the branding route as well. A brand identity explains what value the company has and expresses their intent and image to potential donors and partners.
People who associate with similar ideals and beliefs are more likely to work with a nonprofit organization whose brand also communicates those things. Connecting the brand to the mission and central beliefs of the foundation are vital to a successful brand identity. Creating value and raising awareness about the work being done by a non-profit group is part of what makes a brand strategy ideal.
Attracting new donors through brand strategy involves everyone in the giving process and bonds those who donate through a sense of community and affinity. The sense of belonging to an organization and having a real impact on the lives of those in need generates a true sense of accomplishment and builds favorable perceptions of the organization through which the donations were done.
Nathalie Laidler-Kylander talks about The Girl Effect, a program-oriented foundation started by Nike. The Girl Effect involves getting contributions from governments and other philanthropies towards initiatives that benefit girls. The author, quoted on philanthropy.com says, “by developing specific programs that keep them in school and delay the onset of marriage and childbirth, it can have a significant impact on intergenerational poverty.”
The point of branding a nonprofit is to help get support for their specific goals and the best way to do that is to use a brand so donors and business allies can align their values with the foundation. Considering the technology available today and social media outlets, creating a brand and spreading the word is relatively inexpensive. Benefits of a strong brand name and following can reach far beyond the borders of the nonprofit headquarters and amplify tangible improvements to those they are trying to help.
– Kaitlin Sutherby
Sources: The Chronicle of Philanthropy , Nonprofit Brand Idea, Barnes and Noble
Photo: Personify Corp
3 Key Qualities of Human Rights Activists
In our constantly changing world, we are seeing more and more everyday people taking a stance against poverty and becoming human rights activists. These individuals have demonstrated that with the right qualities and the commitment to bringing about change, anyone can make a difference.
Be a dreamer.
When Kakenya Ntaiya, founder of the Kakenya Center for Excellence in Kenya, was growing up she dreamed of being a teacher. However, the social and cultural norms of the Maasai population in Kenya expected young girls like Ntaiya to be married at a young age and learn skills to be a wife, not to go to school.
In a Massai right of passage, young girls suffer genital mutilation and are usually married not long after this ceremony. Ntaiya made a deal with her father that would allow her to finish high school after the ceremony, and she ultimately received a college scholarship in the United States and earned a doctorate in education.
Ntaiya made her childhood dream a reality when she opened the Kakenya Center for Excellence in 2009, the first primary school in her village. Since then, she has helped over 150 girls receive a proper education without having to endure what she did.
Persevere against all odds.
In light of Nelson Mandela’s death in December 2013, we are reminded of the legacy he left behind to inspire future human rights activists and leaders. Mandela spent over 25 years in prison after being convicted of sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government because of his anti-apartheid efforts. During his time in prison, Mandela was unable to attend the funerals of his mother and his eldest son.
While in prison, Mandela secretly began negotiations with the current apartheid state, specifically with South African President F.W. de Klerk. Mandela was released in 1990 and worked even harder to change conditions in South Africa. In 1994, Mandela became the nation’s first black president.
In his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela wrote, “It would be very hard, if not impossible for one man alone to resist. But the authorities’ greatest mistake was to keep us together, for together our determination was reinforced.” Despite all he had gone through, Mandela never gave up on his beliefs and the perseverance that he shared with all anti-apartheid activists.
When tragedy strikes, come back strong.
After being shot in the head by the Taliban in October 2012, then-15 year old Malala Yousafzai not only recovered, but became more committed to fighting for the right of education for young girls. Yousafzai was targeted because of her strong voice, but the injury she suffered was extremely serious and required a risky surgery. After a medically induced coma and a stay in intensive care, she made an incredible recovery.
Nine months after being shot, she spoke at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The day also marked her 16th birthday. In her speech she said, “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.”
Since then, Yousafzai has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Price and has been more determined than ever. In response to a question about what the Taliban members who shot her thought they achieved, she said, “I think they may be regretting that they shot Malala. Now she is heard in every corner of the world.”
– Julie Guacci
Sources: CNN, BBC News, The Wall Street Journal
Photo: Amandine Van Ray
Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán Captured
After more than 13 years on the run, the infamous leader of the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico has finally been caught. Joaquin Guzmán, known as “El Chapo” for his short stature, was caught on February 22 after joint efforts between the Mexican Marines and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA.)
Before dawn that day, the team of Mexican marines raided Guzmán’s beachside condominium in the resort town of Mazatlán. The marines insured the occupants of the condominium were asleep using infrared and body heat scanners before entering the building.
When they entered, they found the drug king asleep shirtless next to his beauty queen wife along with an AK-47 within reach. Guzmán’s 2-year-old twin daughters and his bodyguard were also asleep in the next room.
The arrest was preceded by months of extensive findings by the DEA and Mexican authorities that led them closer to Guzmán. In recent months, authorities arrested several members of the Sinaloa cartel and discovered a system of tunnels underneath seven houses in Culiacan. Mexican marines almost captured Guzmán the previous week, but Guzmán narrowly escaped arrest by exiting one of the houses through a hatch beneath a bathtub.
Serafin Zambada-Ortiz, the son of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, one of Guzmán’s lieutenants and heir-apparent of the Sinaloa Cartel, was arrested in November 2013. The arrests of cartel members, followed by an examination of their cell phone usage, led authorities ever closer to the quasi-mythical Guzmán.
Guzmán maintained a legendary status in Mexico as an impossible to capture figure. In 2001, he escaped Puente Grande prison in a laundry cart. He is known for bribing his way out of situations, and stories abound of his paying the tabs of entire restaurants in order to escape the law. Yet he is also known for his generous habit of giving out money freely to those in need.
While Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto is claiming this to be a success in the war on drugs, many other still believe that this latest arrest could still spell trouble for the Mexican state. With this power vacuum, drug cartels could ramp up their violent activities in an effort to win more turf. Further, the drug business drove billions of dollars into the state of Sinaloa, which will now need to rely on another source of income.
– Jeff Meyer
Sources: Los Angeles Times, CNN, CNN
Photo: Enrique Nieto
What Is Chavismo?
Recent protests in Venezuela have caught the attention of the entire world. Demonstrators are protesting for a myriad of different reasons, from extreme rates of inflation, to rising crime and murder rates, to allegations of corruption. Despite these different reasons, one thing remains constant: the majority of protestors are demonstrating against the government ruled by Nicolás Maduro, the successor to the late charismatic firebrand Hugo Chavez.
But what is Chavismo? What are the origins of this political movement that has swept up the Venezuelan state and has until recently, been extremely popular?
Chavismo has its origins in the beginnings of Chavez’s political career. In 1997, the Fifth Republic Movement was founded to support Chavez in the 1998 presidential elections. The Movement was named the fifth republic because at the time, Venezuela was in its fourth republic and the movement intended to renew the state of Venezuela on revolutionary policies.
A key belief of Chavismo is that the state should support social welfare programs for its citizens. For instance, Chavez often used populist rhetoric to galvanize the lower classes and the disenfranchised with promises to make their lives better. Revenue from Venezuela’s significant oil reserves were put into programs designed to reduce poverty, improve education, and establish social justice and social welfare within Venezuela.
Some tenets of Chavismo include nationalization of industries, and a strongly anti-neoliberal stance on economic issues with an emphasis on participatory democracy. Systems of “Bolivarian missions” or misiones bolivarianas exist in order to bypass the red tape that often comes with bureaucracy and where citizens can gather to express their opinions directly and have their voices heard.
Not surprisingly for a revolutionary political movement, Chavismo strongly identifies with the historic figure of Símon Bolívar, the 19th century liberator of Latin America from Spanish colonialism. This idea is carried on today with Chavismo attempting to rally countries around the region to oppose what is seen as imperialist US policies that put capitalistic gain ahead of basic human rights.
The idea of Chavismo works well theoretically, as most populist ideologies do. But the reality of the situation is that Venezuelans are unhappy with the way the country is being governed and the direction the current brand of Chavismo led by Maduro is taking them.
Instead of listening to the demands of the people, Maduro decided to take the thuggish route and try to quell the current protests by deploying hundreds of soldiers and ordering fighter jets to make low passes over the capital of Caracas.
Maduro’s responses to the protests give full view to his insecurity. In order to maintain a tight grip on the country, he has expelled three US diplomats from the country and detained 45 people. Maduro has also attempted to regulate media coverage of the protests and threatened to revoke press credentials for CNN reporters.
Unless he listens to and responds to the needs of the people, he will be put in an increasingly insecure position within his United Socialist Party. While an overthrow of Maduro’s government and an opposition-installed government in unlikely, what is possible is Maduro being forced to step down in favor of his Vice-President, Jorge Arreaza.
– Jeff Meyer
Sources: The New York Times, The Huffington Post
Photo: Jorge Amin
Exclusive Breastfeeding Promotes Infant Health
Children ages 12 to 23 months receive an estimated 30-40% of total energy from breast milk. This milk serves as a source of energy and essential fatty acids for them and the fat content appears critical for utilizing pro-vitamin A carotenoids, which exist predominantly in plant-based diets. Moreover, these nutrients offer necessary protection against diseases and help children recovery from infections.
Breastfed children face a significantly reduced risk of chronic illness. The contribution of breast milk to overall nutritional status protects children from developing noncommunicable diseases as adults. Breast milk also improves cognitive development. This benefit could serve to assist with the second Millennium Development Goal of achieving universal primary education. Education coupled with decline of disease increases productivity in developing countries subsequently offering greater food security and the reduction in poverty.
For young girls, greater learning potential offers financial independence. Mothers, in addition to their daughters, benefit from exclusive breastfeeding as well. Breastfeeding naturally delays fertility and as a result, this increases the period between births in populations without contraception. At this time, developing nations account for 99% of global maternal deaths.
A delay in childbirth protects the lives of many women who marry young and give birth frequently. Those who give birth before the age of fifteen risk dying during childbirth at five times the rate of those in their twenties. The World Health Organization offers a number of guidelines to improve breastfeeding and complimentary feeding practices. The annual loss in GDP to vitamin and mineral deficiencies far exceeds the cost of these interventions. For instance, Peru loses $637 million a year to malnutrition. Yet increasing its micronutrient interventions costs less than $16 million annually. To promote the timeline of exclusive breastfeeding, the organization could implement these low-cost interventions:
Exclusive breastfeeding within the first six months nourishes infants and acts as a safeguard against the spread of diseases. However, globally, less than 40% of infants benefit from exclusive breastfeeding. Affordable and direct solutions to this issue exist, holding the potential to drive this rate to 100%worldwide.
– Ellery Spahr
Photo: She Rights Sources: WHO, World Bank
U.N. Mandates Humanitarian Aid Access in Syria
The United Nations Security Council came together for the first time regarding humanitarian aid access in Syria. A resolution passed by the UNSC on February 24 mandates that both the Syrian government and opposition must allow for aid convoys to get through to civilians throughout the country.
This resolution comes after at least one year of Security Council contemplation on the topic of increased humanitarian aid access in Syria; there were also months of subsequent talks on the subject. A non-binding statement released on October 2, 2013 urged improved access to aid, but to little avail.
Though some criticize the resolution for a failure to threaten sanctions if for some reason the parties do not meet the terms, unanimous approval was attained by removing the clause that previously referenced sanctions. Russia and China vetoed three similar resolutions in the past yet voted in favor this time around.
U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of Russia backed his approval, stating that “many Russian considerations were borne in mind and as a result the document took on a balanced nature.” Likewise, China expressed its concern for the situation in Syria and emphasized the necessity to carry out the resolution accordingly.
Russia’s compliance is considered extremely important, as proper implementation of the resolution will likely present some difficulties. By using its leverage over the Syrian government, Russia can be an exceptional asset to the document’s success.
In addition to demanding access for aid convoys across borders, the resolution denounces barrel bombs and requires a cessation of sieges countrywide. The resolution was drafted by Australia, Jordan and Luxembourg and its unanimous approval is considered a “moment of hope” for the Syrian people by Lithuanian U.N. Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaite.
At present, the UNSC has taken on five resolutions as a result of the conflict in Syria. In addition to the aid access resolution, a resolution was adopted in 2013 regarding the eradication of chemical weapons in the country; 2012 saw three resolutions for a U.N. observer mission to Syria.
While unanimous approval in the Security Council on any matter is exciting, some find the necessity for this particular resolution disheartening. According to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, humanitarian aid access should not need to be negotiated.
– Jaclyn Stutz
Sources: BBC, Reuters
Photo: Ebru News
The War Against Malaria Wages On
A recent study published by the Lancet Medical Journal is exposing some interesting finds regarding malaria prevalence in Africa. The study, aimed at examining the impact of control initiatives on vulnerable populations, is a collaboration between researchers from Oxford University, the Kenya Medical Research Institute and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The researchers analyzed data from 26,746 community-based surveys of parasite prevalence since 1980. The data gathered came from 44 African countries where the disease remains endemic.
The study has yielded a mixed bag of results. On a positive note, 40 countries have seen reduction in malaria prevalence among children between 2000 and 2010; the number of people living in high transmission areas has dropped by 16%. A number of countries, including Cape Verde, Eritrea, South Africa and Ethiopia, have experienced transmission rates low enough to indicate possible elimination of the disease.
However, despite this positive feedback, researchers say that there is cause for concern.
The study also indicated that the number of people living in areas of moderate to high-risk of infection has increased by 57%, from 178.6 million to 280.1 million. Researchers have attributed part of this increase to rapid population growth, which could be dampening malaria control efforts. Included among the countries with the highest malaria prevalence figures are Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Out of those living in areas of moderate to high-risk of infection, 87.1% live in just 10 countries. Unfortunately, three of these countries are not included in the WHO Malaria Situation Room, an initiative that provides support to the ten African countries with the highest malaria burden.
These statistics prove that despite some success, more can be done.
In recent years, international aid organizations have ramped up efforts to control malaria. For instance, in 2000, investment in worldwide malaria control stood just short of $100 million. In 2013, this investment had almost reached the $3 billion mark. With this amount of money, the world should be seeing nothing short of progress.
Commenting on the study, Dr. Abdisalan Mohamed Noor of the Kenya Medical Research Institute-Welcome Trust Research Program notes, “In a period of global economic recession, these results emphasize the need for continued support for malaria control, not only to sustain the gains that have been made, but also to accelerate the reduction in transmission intensity where it still remains high.” Professor Brian Greenwood of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine agrees, noting that the reductions in malaria transmission “have only been modest.”
Impeding progress in malaria control efforts include the growing resistance to pesticides among mosquitoes, as well as the drug resistance occurring among the population.
Future efforts need to focus on supporting the development of new methods of control, as well as expanding access to drugs, insecticides and vaccines.
– Mollie O’Brien
Sources: Medical News Today, BBC, The Verge
Photo: NPR