There is a widespread issue of child soldiers in Burundi. It is not uncommon for armed militias in conflict zones to recruit children without proper training and send them to the front lines, often using them as mere cannon fodder.
Burundi, a small nation bordered by Rwanda to the north and Tanzania to the east, still bears the scars of a 12-year civil war that began in 1993 and ended in 2005. Even almost 20 years later, it is still one of the poorest nations on the planet, with thousands of children becoming soldiers during the conflict.
Child soldiers in Burundi were recruited by armed groups for various roles, not just as frontline fighters. They had no say in the matter, as the groups forced them to perform tasks ranging from cooking to guarding. Additionally, girls were often coerced into sexual acts and arranged marriages with older men.
Civil War
The Burundian Civil War took the lives of more than 300,000 people and left more than one million more displaced. The conflict was a result of the long-term tensions and unrest between the majority Hutu and minority Tutsi ethnic populations. Burundi’s first Hutu President got elected in 1993 and was later assassinated by the Tutsi army. This act of murder of a Hutu-born president caused the nation to plunge into a state of mass genocide.
Many families had their children forcibly taken; some children got kidnapped at school while those in refugee camps volunteered to join the militias, hoping to find a better life.
The growing poverty rates pushed some children into the military as they sought the financial means to send money back home to their loved ones. Many of these children later discovered that there would be no wages for them, with only 6% of child soldiers in Burundi receiving any form of payment for their service(s). Following their subjection to inhumane abuse and acts of atrocities, many of them live on to experience the pain for several years.
Due to the corrupt and secretive nature of recruiting children as soldiers, official figures are difficult to determine. There are no accurate estimates of how many child soldiers in Burundi lost their lives in action.
Demobilization and Reintegration
While it remains a fact that society’s most vulnerable citizens play roles in a war they do not understand, a number of poverty-reduction and reintegration programs are working toward bringing about positive change. These programs focus on demobilizing former child soldiers in Burundi and providing them with the support and rehabilitation necessary to get back into society.
In 2000, most active groups in the conflict signed the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement in a partnership that set the foundations for ending the civil war. Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa oversaw the agreement.
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) created a framework in 2001 to develop a demobilization action plan, which the Burundi Government signed. The goal of the plan was to reintegrate a total of 5,500 child soldiers back into their communities through financial aid, mental health support and medical support.
Amnesty International emphasized that plans and programs must prioritize providing support to sexual violence survivors, with additional assistance to pregnant women and nursing mothers.
Throughout the war, Amnesty International documented acts of human rights violation to inform the global community. These reports exerted pressure on both the Burundi Government and armed militias to prioritize the well-being of civilians during future negotiations.
UNICEF’s project failed to include most child soldiers once they turned 18, underscoring the importance of efforts from other charities in preventing re-recruitment. World Vision (WV) prioritizes preventing recruitment through educational programs that aim to empower and protect young people. Providing financial support to families is also crucial in reducing the temptation of bribery from militant groups. WV continues to support reintegration by collaborating with small local organizations.
War Child’s Efforts
War Child collaborates with former child soldiers to establish “safe spaces” where they can meet and attend classes to further their education. Those aged 18 or older are offered employment opportunities and mentoring to supplement their vocational training.
Since its establishment in Burundi in 2011, War Child has witnessed the likelihood of further violence, as seen in 2016. The organization utilizes its platform to focus on prevention, leading the Economic Empowerment of Youth Toward Peacebuilding and Crisis Prevention project. The project examines why children feel compelled to join militias while identifying community actions that can provide protection.
Hope for Better Days
While child exploitation persists in Burundi, ongoing efforts from both local and international organizations to create a safer, more enabling environment for children in the country have resulted in some progress. The hope is for every child in Burundi to have the assurance of fundamental human rights and remain protected from the terror that comes in times of conflict.
– Yasmin Hailes
Photo: Flickr
How Fair Trade Fashion Reduces Poverty
Fast Fashion and Poverty Perpetuation
From 2000 and 2010, global clothing consumption doubled from 100 billion to 200 billion pieces per year, leading many fashion outlets to shift their focus from producing high-quality, long-lasting items to cheaply made, disposable ones that can be sold at lower costs, thereby boosting competitiveness and profits. However, this overconsumption of goods such as fast fashion clothing has led to worker exploitation, as brands must produce items at faster rates.
Fast fashion companies have increasingly relied on unethical modes of production, such as sweatshops that subject workers to poor conditions and unfair wages, since the rise of cheaper fashion at the end of the 20th century. Even in the poorest countries of the world, where child protection laws and regulations are lacking, fast fashion brands continue to rely on child labor to maximize profits, depriving children of the opportunity to gain the education that can help them escape poverty in the future.
Reducing Poverty
Over the past decade, a growing body of research has demonstrated the perils of the fast fashion industry, sparking increased discussion around fair trade fashion. Brands that prioritize fair trade practices typically provide greater transparency regarding their supply chains than their fast fashion counterparts, thereby assuring consumers of no participation in worker exploitation of people who live in poverty. While fair trade fashion items may carry a higher price tag, they generally boast higher quality and a longer lifespan. More significantly, they guarantee better working conditions for those involved in the supply chain, as the money spent flows down to the bottom. The Fair Trade movement promotes equitable wages and opportunities in impoverished countries like Tanzania, India and Sri Lanka, helping to uplift people and alleviate poverty.
Fair Trade Fashion in Action
People Tree, a U.K.-based company with a Fair Trade certificate, is an excellent example of an ethical company that empowers Bangladeshi workers to rise above poverty. Founded in 1991, the company aims to ensure its products meet the highest possible ethical standards throughout the supply chain. They also strive to serve as a model of a Fair Trade business with moral values that prioritize both people and the environment, setting an example for the fashion industry and governments alike.
Power in the Hands of Consumers
Choosing to purchase fair trade fashion from companies like People Tree enables consumers to impact lives positively and prevent support for the cycle of extreme poverty in less developed countries. More people opting for fair trade fashion could discourage businesses from exploiting workers and producing cheap garments on a mass scale while facilitating the advancement of fair trade fashion.
– Hannah Naylor
Photo: Flickr
Using UV Light Treatment for Neonatal Jaundice in Low-Resource Settings
What Is Neonatal Jaundice and How Is It Treated?
A build-up of a substance called bilirubin in the blood causes jaundice. The liver is responsible for removing bilirubin from the body. However, newborn babies’ livers are not yet fully developed. Unfortunately, high levels of bilirubin in the blood can be toxic to the brain, thereby necessitating treatment. Every year, approximately 6 million babies do not receive jaundice treatment.
One of the main forms of neonatal jaundice treatment is phototherapy. In this procedure, babies undergo UV light exposure. They are placed into a crib-like piece of equipment that shines UV light onto the skin for around 48 hours. This results in the conversion of toxic bilirubin into a safer form that is not harmful to the brain and can be easily excreted in the urine.
What Is the Global Context of Neonatal Jaundice?
A study from 2010 by the Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group reported that neonatal jaundice was responsible for a mortality rate of 119 per 100,000 live births in Eastern Europe/Central Asia, Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. In comparison, the mortality rate in high-income countries is around one per 100,000. The study also found the complication of brain toxicity to be prevalent in 73 per 100,000 live births in the aforementioned regions. In high-come countries, the prevalence rate is 10 per 100,000.
Standard commercial phototherapy machines cost around $3,000 and require a constant supply of electricity. As things stand, heavy power usage is a major concern for hospitals in low-income and middle-income countries. Not only is the demand for power costly, but there is also no guarantee of access due to unreliable power supply in these settings. For this reason, the use of traditional phototherapy machines is challenging in low-resource settings.
The Bili-Hut
Dr. Donna Brezinski developed an innovative solution known as the Bili-Hut. It is a portable, battery-operated device that only costs $400 per unit. The design utilizes LED lights that can run on a 12-volt car battery for up to a month. Additionally, it has a lower upfront cost and can run independently, with no need for connecting to a hospital’s power supply source.
The Bili-Hut forms part of a kit, which also includes a “Bili-ruler” and a “Bilistick”. The former measures the degree of jaundice while the latter measures jaundice concentration in a newborn’s blood.
Crib’A’Glow
Virtue Oboro identified the need for more effective phototherapy treatment in Nigeria when her son experienced a delay in receiving treatment due to a lack of phototherapy units. She developed the Crib’A’Glow, a phototherapy unit that runs on renewable energy using a solar panel, a battery and a charge controller. The solar panel powers LED lights in the crib to provide a fully functioning phototherapy unit. It can function in low-resource settings and only costs around $300-$550.
Using solar power is an innovative solution. Apart from minimizing the running cost of the unit, it also ensures the unreliable power supply in Nigeria has no impact on the service process.
Virtue’s solution has helped to treat more than 1250 babies across Nigeria since 2016. Additionally, the Champions of Science Africa Innovation Challenge 2.0 provided additional funding for the project in 2019, with the hopes of reaching 1 million babies.
With the help of innovators like Virtue and Dr. Brezinski, there is hope for overcoming the challenges of delivering phototherapy in low-resource settings.
– Jess Steward
Photo: Flickr
Child Soldiers in Burundi
Burundi, a small nation bordered by Rwanda to the north and Tanzania to the east, still bears the scars of a 12-year civil war that began in 1993 and ended in 2005. Even almost 20 years later, it is still one of the poorest nations on the planet, with thousands of children becoming soldiers during the conflict.
Child soldiers in Burundi were recruited by armed groups for various roles, not just as frontline fighters. They had no say in the matter, as the groups forced them to perform tasks ranging from cooking to guarding. Additionally, girls were often coerced into sexual acts and arranged marriages with older men.
Civil War
The Burundian Civil War took the lives of more than 300,000 people and left more than one million more displaced. The conflict was a result of the long-term tensions and unrest between the majority Hutu and minority Tutsi ethnic populations. Burundi’s first Hutu President got elected in 1993 and was later assassinated by the Tutsi army. This act of murder of a Hutu-born president caused the nation to plunge into a state of mass genocide.
Many families had their children forcibly taken; some children got kidnapped at school while those in refugee camps volunteered to join the militias, hoping to find a better life.
The growing poverty rates pushed some children into the military as they sought the financial means to send money back home to their loved ones. Many of these children later discovered that there would be no wages for them, with only 6% of child soldiers in Burundi receiving any form of payment for their service(s). Following their subjection to inhumane abuse and acts of atrocities, many of them live on to experience the pain for several years.
Due to the corrupt and secretive nature of recruiting children as soldiers, official figures are difficult to determine. There are no accurate estimates of how many child soldiers in Burundi lost their lives in action.
Demobilization and Reintegration
While it remains a fact that society’s most vulnerable citizens play roles in a war they do not understand, a number of poverty-reduction and reintegration programs are working toward bringing about positive change. These programs focus on demobilizing former child soldiers in Burundi and providing them with the support and rehabilitation necessary to get back into society.
In 2000, most active groups in the conflict signed the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement in a partnership that set the foundations for ending the civil war. Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa oversaw the agreement.
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) created a framework in 2001 to develop a demobilization action plan, which the Burundi Government signed. The goal of the plan was to reintegrate a total of 5,500 child soldiers back into their communities through financial aid, mental health support and medical support.
Amnesty International emphasized that plans and programs must prioritize providing support to sexual violence survivors, with additional assistance to pregnant women and nursing mothers.
Throughout the war, Amnesty International documented acts of human rights violation to inform the global community. These reports exerted pressure on both the Burundi Government and armed militias to prioritize the well-being of civilians during future negotiations.
UNICEF’s project failed to include most child soldiers once they turned 18, underscoring the importance of efforts from other charities in preventing re-recruitment. World Vision (WV) prioritizes preventing recruitment through educational programs that aim to empower and protect young people. Providing financial support to families is also crucial in reducing the temptation of bribery from militant groups. WV continues to support reintegration by collaborating with small local organizations.
War Child’s Efforts
War Child collaborates with former child soldiers to establish “safe spaces” where they can meet and attend classes to further their education. Those aged 18 or older are offered employment opportunities and mentoring to supplement their vocational training.
Since its establishment in Burundi in 2011, War Child has witnessed the likelihood of further violence, as seen in 2016. The organization utilizes its platform to focus on prevention, leading the Economic Empowerment of Youth Toward Peacebuilding and Crisis Prevention project. The project examines why children feel compelled to join militias while identifying community actions that can provide protection.
Hope for Better Days
While child exploitation persists in Burundi, ongoing efforts from both local and international organizations to create a safer, more enabling environment for children in the country have resulted in some progress. The hope is for every child in Burundi to have the assurance of fundamental human rights and remain protected from the terror that comes in times of conflict.
– Yasmin Hailes
Photo: Flickr
Rare Diseases in Latin America
Acknowledgment of Rare Diseases
The EU reports that rare diseases impact one in 2,000 individuals or fewer. Rare diseases affect around 350 million people across the globe, with rare diseases in Latin America accounting for approximately 50 million cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded 7,000 rare diseases, including Aarskog syndrome, Balo disease and Canavan disease.
Latin American countries, such as Venezuela and Cuba, have no legislation in place to prioritize research, diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases, according to the Wilson Center in 2022. Peru has basic rare disease legislation in place but only implemented it in 2011. In comparison, the U.S. passed its first rare disease legislation, the Orphan Drug Act, 28 years before in 1983.
The Impact of Poverty on Rare Disease Diagnosis
Rare diseases like trichuriasis and ancylostomiasis (hookworm infection) are prevalent in Latin America and mostly affect poor and rural areas. However, according to the Pan American Health Organization, in 2017, about 30% of people in the Americas could not access health care services due to economic constraints. As such, many rare diseases either remain untreated or result in financially crippling patient costs.
Many of Latin America’s governments often cannot afford to bear the cost of the drugs required to treat rare diseases. Without right-to-health litigation, legality that ensures governments sustain medical costs, impoverished persons suffer the complications and impacts of rare diseases in Latin America.
The 2022 Social Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean concluded that around 201 million people in the region live in poverty and 82 million people experience extreme poverty. Therefore, almost a third of the population lives in a degree of poverty that restricts them from accessing medical provisions.
The Persons Living with a Rare Disease (PLWRD) Resolution
In December 2021, the U.N. adopted the first-ever U.N. Resolution on “Addressing the Challenges of Persons Living with a Rare Disease and their Families.” The Resolution pledges to acknowledge and “protect the human rights of all persons, including the estimated 300 million persons living with a rare disease worldwide.” The U.N. aims to draw attention to rare diseases by urging U.N. member states to improve their health care systems and provide services that are non-discriminatory and accessible to all income groups.
The U.N.’s 193 Member States embraced the PLWRD Resolution and Brazil stood as one of three countries originally advocating for the text. Brazil’s support of the agenda suggests recognition of the need to improve the treatment of rare diseases in Latin America. The U.N. hopes for the PLWRD agenda to be in full effect by no later than 2030 with the help of NGOs such as Rare Diseases International (RDI) and EURORDIS (Rare Diseases Europe).
Pharmaceutical Partnerships in Latin America
Pharmaceutical companies in Latin America are working together to improve access to life-saving treatments. HRA Pharma Rare Diseases and Celnova Pharma partnered in 2023 to increase the supply of medical drugs in Latin America. According to GlobalData’s drugs database, “only 5% of the globally marketed rare disease drugs are accessible in South and Central America.”
HRA RD and Celnova Pharma’s partnership will increase the availability of Metopirone and Lysodren to rare disease patients in Argentina, Chile and Peru. Metopirone treats Cushing’s syndrome and Lysoden treats adrenal cortical carcinoma, (ACC) both of which are rare diseases. In 2023, Argentina announced a 29.1% increase in government health spending, which will aid the dispersal of these drugs. An increased health budget allows for treatment subsidization and will help to provide medical care for Argentinians living in poverty.
Looking Ahead
Latin America’s struggle with rare disease diagnosis is systematic, and finding and implementing the appropriate solutions to this issue could take a while. However, pharmaceutical companies, the U.N. and NGOs are all working toward improving health care ethics and the treatment of rare diseases in Latin America and the world at large.
– Jennifer Preece
Photo: Flickr
Polio Outbreak in Burundi
Public Health Emergency
The polio outbreak in Burundi constitutes a national health emergency, as poliovirus is extremely contagious. Since its first detection, health authorities have also confirmed five environmental samples of poliovirus type 2 in the wastewater.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, praises Burundi health authorities’ fast virus detection in a WHO press release. “The detection of the circulating poliovirus type 2 shows the effectiveness of the country’s disease surveillance. Polio is highly infectious and timely action is critical in protecting children through effective vaccination,” said Dr. Moeti.
How It Started
Poliovirus is transmitted through contaminated water and food. The virus lives in a person’s throat and intestines and spreads through fecal contamination. Early detection of cases is imperative to prevent the viral disease from spreading, as it is extremely contagious.
There are three types of wild poliovirus (WPV): types 1, 2 and 3. The symptoms of poliovirus often look similar to the flu and usually, last two to five days, though symptoms can be worse. Paralysis is associated with the most severe cases.
According to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), and echoed in the WHO’s press release, the cases detected from the polio outbreak in Burundi are “circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2).”
The GPEI explains cVDPVs as variants of the poliovirus that can occur as a result of low vaccination rates among children. GPEI informs that areas with poor sanitation and low immunization rates can develop cVDPVs.
According to GPEI, the prevention of cVDPVs outbreaks is possible through immunization campaigns and the immunization of all eligible children. Previous efficient vaccination campaigns have alleviated the outbreak. The GPEI states “the vaccine continues to be a safe, effective tool for outbreak response across the continent.”
Addressing the Outbreak
Since the Burundian government declared a state of public health emergency on March 17, they’re aiming to provide and administer vaccines to as many children under age seven as possible. The vaccine campaign is a necessary step in stopping the outbreak.
According to the CDC, the oral polio vaccine (OPV) and inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) prevent poliovirus infections. OPV contains a weakened version of one of the three types of poliovirus: IPV protects against all three poliovirus types, and contains no live virus.
Both the WHO and GPEI are assisting the Burundi health authorities in contact tracing and risk assessment to prevent a further outbreak in Burundi and nearby nations. Early detection of the virus is essential in containing the illness before it can spread. Burundi health authorities’ quick detection of the outbreak allowed the WHO and GPEI to begin contact tracing and rolling out vaccines efficiently. This efficiency since its first detection means that Burundi, the WHO and GPEI are in a great position to address the outbreak before it worsens.
Curbing the outbreak of polio before it spreads could save the lives of countless people in the country. And with the help of vaccines and other organizations intent on mitigating polio’s effects, those experiencing poverty in Burundi can look to the future with hope.
– Maya Steele
Photo: Flickr
Tackling Mental Health In Singapore
Social Media and Mental Health
The correlation between social media usage and poor mental health predictors traditionally found general agreement in the idea that too much social media could lead to anxiety and/or depression. However, recent research from Harvard University indicates that our collective perception of social media as “all bad” may be false. Rather, the study argues that it has to do more with how you use social media and the way you perceive your interactions on and off the platforms. While many have commented on the widespread de-stigmatization of mental health issues as real and equally as important and valid as physical health issues, the Asian stereotype of mental health issues as unimportant or irrelevant still poses a problem for this new generation of Singaporeans.
Singapore and Mental Health
In 2020, “‘The Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), a suicide prevention organization, received over 39,000 calls for help – an 18% increase from the year before.” This indicates a rising need for mental health support in Singapore as a result of concerted efforts to isolate during the pandemic. In addition, The Straits Times reported in a 2021 article that seven out of 10 mental health organizations experienced a 20-60% increase in queries and mental health crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What’s more, Singapore’s labor force is exhausted. In a study for Milieu Insight, in partnership with Intellect, they found that though Singaporeans tend to work less, they also report the lowest levels of engagement and job satisfaction than their regional counterparts. Beyond engagement and job satisfaction, Singaporeans also rank the highest for negative reports on the average quality of sleep and overall enjoyment of life.
Many of these issues have contributed significantly to the persistent wage gap in Singapore, as they arise before an individual has the chance to establish themselves academically or in a vocation. In Singapore, many of those who suffer from mental illness do not have mental health care from the insurance plan Medishield, and “rely solely on Medifund (a default support mechanism).” Unfortunately, Medifund does not receive adequate funding from taxpayers who are fearful of those with mental illness. Facing discrimination and limited access to health care, those with mental health issues and low income exist in a situation that perpetuates. Additionally, those who suffer from mental health issues can quickly devolve into poverty without adequate support and/or funding.
Singapore Wellness Hub
To combat this, TikTok launched a new Singapore Wellness Hub in honor of World Mental Health Month, which aims to combat anxiety and uncertainty through education and action-oriented solutions. In essence, its focus is on creating safe spaces that allow for community building and the sharing of personal experiences. Launched in October 2021, the platform offers three distinct offerings. Under its ‘Wellness Matters’ section, users can access techniques grounded in positive psychology principles, like breathing or body awareness exercises, relaxation techniques and tips for visualizing safe spaces. Under its ‘Stories’ section, users have the opportunity to share their experiences through the platform’s short-form video capability.
Lastly, under the app’s ‘Support Helpline’ section, users can reach out to various nonprofit organizations, and various helplines like SOS that are easily accessible through the hub. Its impact has been huge and many influencers like Skincarebyhyram, Lewis Howes and Dr. Alex George have found their niches within the Wellness space on TikTok as well, making it a great place for users and content creators alike.
Looking Forward
While it may be too soon to determine the effect that TikTok’s new Wellness Hub may have on the status of mental health in Singapore, it is a good first step. As high-traffic platforms like TikTok begin to create spaces on their apps where people find accurate information about mental health and well-being, there exists a collective de-stigmatization of mental health and a fostering of community and belonging. These improve mental health and subsequently lower global poverty rates. Therefore, while there is more work to be done, a coming-together of organizations is a great first step in educating communities where mental health is heavily stigmatized and stereotyped. Addressing the link between mental health and poverty is necessary in combating global poverty rates across the world.
– Julia Shanta
Photo: Flickr
Countries with blue economy strategies
The blue economy sits at the nexus of people and the environment. Although people have lived in coastal environments and utilized ocean resources for millennia, the blue economy represents a consolidated and conscious sustainable development strategy that aims to incorporate the ocean into all levels of the economy – from local to national.
10 Countries Incorporating the Blue Economy into Their Development Strategies
Realizing the Potential
These 10 countries provide only a tiny cross-section of the blue economy landscape emerging across the world. Countries are realizing the ocean’s potential to alleviate coastal poverty and lift overall economic performance. Strategies already in place and being developed will help pave the way to better global ocean management with benefits for both people and the environment.
– Amy McAlpine
Photo: Flickr
Fetal Monitoring Prevents Neonatal Deaths in Developing Countries
AI has seen a particular rise in the technology sector with Elon Musk’s self driving Tesla vehicles and programs such as ChatGPT, which boasts its conversations can sound human-like.
Now, with the help of PeriGen, Inc, Baylor College of Medicine and the Area 25 Community Hospital, artificial intelligence has developed a new skill: saving lives with AI-powered fetal monitoring.
Malawians Need Change in Prenatal Health Care
One in every 200 Malawian women dies when delivering a baby, and 2-6% of babies die during delivery both inside and outside of the womb. This is said to be due to a low nurse-to-patient ratio, with midwives struggling to continuously monitor babies within the womb and manage full labor wards.
The nurse-to-patient ratio within Malawi was, as of 2015, just one third of the WHO’s recommended 10 nurses for every 10,000 people. In the same 2015 study, Malawian nurses cited a lack of resources and high workloads as a challenge.
Malawi and other developing countries often do not have access to scanning technology and rely on physical methods of monitoring development, such as physical examination. This can sometimes give incorrect measurements. If these measurements are incorrect and a baby is not developing correctly, this increases the risk of stillbirth or neonatal death.
With the help of AI, however, these struggles may become a thing of the past.
Fetal Monitoring Results in Decreased Stillbirths
PeriGen’s fetal monitoring software continuously scans vitals and notifies clinicians immediately if there is any change in the patterns. This allows for timely treatment. In addition to giving details on labor progression, it monitors vitals for both mother and child.
The software tracks hundreds of patients at a time, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Currently in place in the Area 25 Community Hospital in Malawi, the monitoring works by capturing patient data at the bedside, and then transmitting this data to PeriGen’s Houston headquarters. There, it is assessed before being transferred back to Malawi in an instant. PeriGen’s software allows for care to extend across many hospital sites at once, and reaches many patients.
Results of the software appear promising. Head nurse at the hospital, Dziwenji Makombe, says that the AI monitoring tool is “the best … strategy” to prevent stillbirths. The hospital saw a 75% reduction in stillbirths and early neonatal deaths.
There is hope that this software can be used across other developing countries with similarly promising results. Not only will this fetal monitoring tool reduce neonatal deaths, but it will help to decrease poverty.
When people live in areas where child mortality rates are low and the child can survive, they have fewer children. Less overpopulation means less poverty.
If this software continues to be effective, it will become a beacon of hope to other developing countries besides Malawi. It can save the lives of newborn children and expectant mothers residing there.
– Chloe Jenkins
Photo: Flickr
Law and Fragility in Yemen
Explaining the Civil War
The civil war, which is still ongoing, reflects years of religious insurgency, revolution and divide between the north and south of the country. Houthi Rebels took over the capital city of Sanaa in 2014 in the north and have been driving into southern provinces since 2015, with support from the Iranian Government. Although there has been no direct Iranian intervention, Tehran has been able to extend its influence within Yemen as a result of the civil war, leading to the international community seeing the conflict as a microcosm of Saudi-Iranian tension. In response to the usurpation of then-Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi in 2015, a Saudi-led international coalition launched military operations in order to restore the Yemeni government, utilizing air strikes in the country’s northern territories.
Collateral Damage
From this period onwards life for Yemeni civilians hangs in the balance. Sieges and blockades from both sides of the war have resulted in mass loss of life, as territory and victory have trumped local communities, families and children. Yet this story which began in 2014 and is without end even today, has not rang loud enough in the international community: The civil war in Yemen still bears the name “The Forgotten War.”
U.N. estimates have calculated over 130,000 deaths as a result of shortages of food, health services and a lack of authority and law in the country, all the indirect causes of war. UNFPA has labeled this civilian struggle as “one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises,” yet it seems that NGOs have little effect on the ongoing situation. Sky’s Alex Crawford reported on the law and fragility in Yemen, showing civilians having to sell foreign aid goods to starving crowds, none of which can afford the illegally enforced prices.
Progress
In April 2022 the U.N. brokered a truce which allowed fuel imports into Houthi-held areas as well as the re-opening of some commercial flights from the capital’s airport. However, by October Houthi representatives refused U.N. proposals to extend the truce and march further towards more concrete peace talks.
With more than 20 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and millions of civilians displaced, things were -and are still- looking bleak. Law and fragility remain the key concern of international cohorts. Yet there are people on the ground addressing poverty-stricken communities in Yemen, with national charities taking the initiative to provide necessary funds to lift people’s living conditions.
In January 2023, Qatar Charity announced its plans to donate rapid financial assistance to vulnerable households in Yemen. Qatar Charity will provide the International Organization for Migration with $500,000 to help more than 10,000 poverty-stricken Yemenis.
Furthermore, there may be promising diplomatic events unfolding: In March 2023, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to reopen their respective embassies within two months and re-establish diplomatic relations. This is good news. It remains to be seen how good, yet there is unquestionably renewed momentum on both sides, as the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg, told at the U.N. Security Council Meeting: “We are currently witnessing renewed regional diplomatic momentum, as well as a step change in the scope and depth of the discussions.” Economic decline drives humanitarian disaster, if the renewed Saudi-Iranian detente can produce anything resembling peace, if talks between Saudis and Houthis could take place, then Yemen’s economy may react positively, allowing for NGOs like the U.N to operate safely and help Yemen’s poor, driving the change that the country so desperately needs.
The Future
The Yemeni Civil War has largely been neglected by the international community, blocking off NGOs’ routes to the country’s poor. The civil war is largely man-made, meaning the international community could do more to tackle poverty and food insecurity. The renewal of Iran-Saudi relations marks a decisive step in the restoration of law, as well as progress in tackling economic and political fragility in Yemen. Islamic Relief provides food aid to 2 million Yemenis a month, progress in Iran-Saudi relations will only boost the efficacy of organizations such as this.
– George Somper
Photo: Flickr
Health Care in Sri Lanka Calls on International Aid
Sri Lanka imports 85% of its medical supplies. With the foreign currency reserves running low, essentials are becoming hard to obtain.
As the health care system is “nearing collapse,” patients are at risk due to shortages in equipment, medication and power. The United Nations News gave readers a first-hand experience from Ruchika, a pregnant Sri Lankan who has to scavenge for essentials. In her story, she explains what it is like to try to obtain fuel for a trip to the hospital and the possibility of her having to search for supplies to have a safe birth.
Exacerbating Health Crisis in Sri Lanka
The health crisis in Sri Lanka is draining doctors, leaving them to prepare for the worst. Without international help, they fear a health catastrophe is approaching soon.
The largest doctor’s union on the island, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), calls on international outlets to donate supplies and places the blame for the health crisis in Sri Lanka on poor economic and financial management. The GMOA published a list of items the country’s health sector desperately needed, such as antibiotics, antidepressants, paracetamol and blood pressure medicine.
As supply numbers drop, medical staff in Sri Lanka are involuntarily suspending non-essential procedures. Low supplies force medical staff to reuse and ration equipment, which can raise sanitary concerns, placing many at risk.
Response to the Crisis
This health crisis in Sri Lanka has forced tens of thousands to protest as food and fuel prices skyrocket. Doctors, nurses and medical students are joining in these demonstrations as they are also frustrated with the government stating that they can’t speak openly to the media about the situation.
To respond to the escalating health crisis in Sri Lanka, the World Health Organization (WHO) is working to help the health care system. The WHO supports the delivery of essentials to “sustain the availability of critical lifesaving medical care for all.” This support is accomplished through financial assistance and donations of medications and supplies worth $7.1 million in 2022. The organization also provided an additional $1.5 million with assistance from the U.S. Department of State. The funding helps strengthen the Sri Lankan health care system.
Sri Lanka still faces a pressing demand to import essential medicine and supplies as well as help from partners.
Sri Lanka has a long way to go before it can reobtain its title as a role model for health and development. However, it is possible if international aid continues to help.
– Brianna Green
Photo: Flickr