World Bank data reveals that almost 300,000 Sri Lankans fell under the poverty line in 2020, meaning that 12.7% of the population lived on less than $3.65 a day. The COVID-19 pandemic had a lethal effect on the tourism, manufacturing and construction sectors that locals are financially reliant on.
In an interview with The Borgen Project, Saman Kumara, a guest house owner in the city of Haputale in Sri Lanka, shares that the local population has resorted to selling their personal property to secure money for food and medicine. According to 2022 data from the World Food Programme (WFP), close to 30% of Sri Lanka’s households (more than 6 million people) experience food insecurity. Adding insult to injury, citizens are experiencing power cuts of up to 13 hours and massive shortages of medicine and fuel. These consequences stem from government mismanagement and failure to act on time, resulting in Sri Lanka’s deepest economic crisis yet.
Coping with the Crisis
To alleviate the impacts of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, in 2020, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) examined Sri Lanka’s social protection response, concentrating on cash transfer initiatives. The Sri Lankan government swiftly established a cash transfer initiative in response to the crisis, “providing millions of monthly payments of LKR5,000 (roughly $14) to households in April and May.” Although the initiative lasted just two months, the government managed to reach most of the country’s citizens with this financial sustenance.
Kumara says that, during the pandemic, “the rich became richer” by buying off the properties that poverty-stricken people were forced to sell due to financial difficulties. “We had to sell our properties, vehicles and land to earn some money because every other income was blocked. [Wealthy] people bought those properties and vehicles at a very low price and that made the situation even worse.”
Government Mismanagement
Official records from Sri Lanka’s Department of External Resources show that by the end of April 2022, the government’s external debt amounted to $34.8 billion. The BBC reported in May 2022 that “Sri Lanka has defaulted on its debt for the first time in its history.” The economic turmoil, rolling blackouts, shortages of essential resources and staggering inflation have caused countrywide protests.
According to protestors, “a series of missteps” that the president and his administration have made have led the once vibrant and thriving economy of Sri Lanka to a fatal crash. In July 2022, after angry protesters stormed his family residence, President Rajapaksa chose to step down from his position and fled the country.
Some of the decisions that triggered Sri Lanka’s economic crisis include the ban on chemical fertilizers, a decision that the government later reversed, but detrimentally affected Sri Lanka’s tea industry and increased food insecurity. Tax cuts in order to garner political support worsened the economic situation while Sri Lanka’s external debt continued to grow. Overall, citizens blame Sri Lanka’s economic collapse on poor governance and severe mismanagement of the economy.
A New Administration
In June 2022, Sri Lankan members of parliament appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as Sri Lanka’s new president, but according to Kumara, the new government has not helped the situation. “Yes, the government has changed but prices keep increasing. Before the pandemic, 1kg of rice cost 80 rupees (equivalent to $0.22), but now it costs more than 240 rupees (equivalent to $0.66). Petrol, gas and electricity have increased by about 800%,” Kumara says.
“Many of us [have no choice but] to leave the country as we cannot recover from the pandemic. Lots of restaurants are closed, most hotels have remained closed and people skip meals to save food and money.” Kumara also shared that the crisis has led to an increase in criminal activity and mental difficulties. “Every day we see on the news more robberies, suicides, people struggling with income.”
“We were lucky because our business received help from abroad. Previous guests [who] have been staying at our guest house sent us some money to lend a hand. However, it’s been almost impossible to recover from Sri Lanka’s economic crisis,” Kumara notes.
A September 2022 report by the U.N. says, in Sri Lanka, “Fundamental changes will be required to address the current challenges and to avoid repetition of the human rights violations of the past.”
A Helping Hand
Help from abroad comes as UNICEF and Rotary International announce their new scheme to “deliver critical lifesaving supplies to families impacted by the crisis in Sri Lanka,” the UNICEF website says. The partnership, announced on 22 August 2022, aims to tackle the deepening economic crisis impacting the Sri Lankan community. Among other essentials, the partners will provide clean water, medicines, educational resources and medical equipment.
Projections by the World Bank suggest that poverty will continue to stand above 25% in the years to come. Aid from international organizations helps struggling Sri Lankans meet their basic needs, but for lasting change to occur, the new government needs to step up with reforms and solutions to reverse the damage that the previous administration caused.
– Ralitsa Pashkuleva
Photo: Flickr
Tackling Diseases in Nigeria with the Help of Technology
In today’s digital age, technology has become an integral tool in Nigeria’s fight against various diseases. From improving access to health care to building health care capacity, technology has played a vital role in the effort to combat disease. Here are 10 ways technology assists in tackling diseases in Nigeria.
Tackling Diseases in Nigeria with the Help of Technology
Looking Ahead
In conclusion, technology is playing a vital role in the fight against diseases in Nigeria. From electronic case-based reporting systems to digital surveillance and telemedicine, technology is improving disease monitoring and responsiveness, enhancing health care delivery and increasing health care access for all Nigerians. The implementation of these technologies has enabled real-time tracking of disease cases, early detection of outbreaks and efficient distribution of vaccines. The use of technology has also helped to overcome challenges in the fight against diseases such as COVID-19, TB, HIV and polio. Moreover, it has greatly enhanced the speed and effectiveness of activating public health emergency operations centers. As technology continues to advance, it will become an even more important tool in the fight against diseases in Nigeria.
– Nkechi First
Photo: Flickr
Addressing Food Insecurity in Africa
Thirty-four African leaders met between 25-27 January 2023 in Senegal to address worsening food insecurity in Africa. The president of Senegal and the president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, jointly hosted the gathering, called the Dakar 2 – Africa Food Summit. Adesina announced that the AfDB would be dedicating $10 billion worth of funding over the next five years to reduce food insecurity on the African continent.
The Magnitude of Food Insecurity
According to the report “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022,” an annual assessment that several U.N. partners compiled, the global effort to reduce extreme hunger and food insecurity “is moving backward.” One can attribute this to conflicts, changing weather patterns, economic shocks and the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a disconnect between agricultural policies and expected outcomes.
In Africa, food insecurity has been endemic, but it has worsened in recent times. The backward movement in the global effort to reduce the prevalence, which the report underscored, is graphically illustrated through statistics. For instance, the number of persons facing hunger on the African continent stood at 187.4 million in 2015.
In 2021, the number of individuals experiencing hunger rose to 278 million, or 20.2%, the highest rate of hunger across the world. In Africa, almost 58% of the population is enduring moderate to severe food insecurity. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) predicts that, in Africa, these numbers will worsen and, by 2030, the African continent will hold the highest burden of undernourished individuals.
The AfDB commitment and the declarations of leaders during the Dakar 2 – Africa Food Summit underscore the gravity of the issue. Additionally, this is a positive development, indicating a determination to own the problem and address it, boldly.
Currently, due to budget constraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic, dwindling prices of commodities, “slow disbursement of funds,” heavy reliance on donor funds and lack of political will, African countries are unable to direct sufficient capital toward addressing food insecurity in Africa. Indeed, many African countries have not reached the goal of the Maputo Declaration, developed in 2003, to “allocate at least 10% of their national budget to food and agriculture.” The Dakar 2 – Africa Food Summit recognizes the severity of the issue and demonstrates a renewed political will to address food insecurity in Africa.
The Vision
At the end of the Dakar 2 – Africa Food Summit, African leaders acknowledged that with 65% of the world’s uncultivated land in Africa, the continent has the potential to become self-sufficient in food production. In fact, Africa has the potential to become the food basket of the world by 2030. The leaders, therefore, agreed to support the process of boosting agricultural production on the continent with strong political will in cooperation with development partners to ensure food sustainability in Africa.
Implementation
The Dakar 2 – Africa Food Summit, with the sub-theme Food Sovereignty and Resilience, set out strategies for the implementation of the leaders’ visions. The Country Food and Agriculture Delivery Compacts developed at this summit “convey the vision, challenges and opportunities in agricultural productivity, infrastructure, processing and value addition, markets and financing that will accelerate the implementation of the African Union’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP).”
Some of these strategies include:
Looking Ahead
The response of the African Development Bank in collaboration with African leaders to address food insecurity in Africa is certainly a welcomed development. Leaders agree that it does not make sense for Africa to hold both 65% of the world’s arable land and the highest number of food-insecure individuals. The collaborative strategies of global leaders have the potential to lift a significant number of Africans out of poverty.
– Friday Okai
Photo: Flickr
The Recent Energy Crisis in Pakistan
On January 23, 2023, the nation of Pakistan, home to almost 220 million people, fell prey to yet another consequence of its ongoing energy crises. The recent energy crisis in Pakistan left almost all of the population in a complete blackout for more than 20 hours. This is the second major blackout within the last few months and it is another indicator of the poor management of energy crises in Pakistan. At the offset of the crises, the cause of the blackout remains clouded and a major cause for concern.
The Ministry of Energy reported that all energy grids in Pakistan went down at around 7:30 AM on Monday. The Energy Minister of Pakistan, Khurram Dastgir Khan, reported that the major breakdown was due to a voltage fluctuation that occurred in the Sindh province, between the cities of Jamshoro and Dadu, Al Jazeera reported. As a result of this fluctuation, all the power grids in the country shut down one by one, although the Minister still maintained that it “was not a major crisis.” The restoration took almost 24 hours for all 1,112 grid stations, but by then the brunt of the damage had impacted schools, hospitals, businesses and offices nationwide.
Previous Energy Crisis
According to Al Jazeera, the last time an energy crisis in Pakistan occurred to this extent was back in January 2021. Since then there has not been any major improvement when it comes to handling blackouts of this sort. Pakistan is still heavily reliant on oil and natural gas, both of which are its primary sources of energy. There have been recent inroads into the development of sustainable and renewable sources of energy, such as wind and solar PV, however, more than 40 million Pakistanis still lack access to any sort of electricity.
Alongside the overreliance on the poorly managed oil and natural gas industries, Pakistan is also in the midst of a historic economic crisis that is devasting the nation’s infrastructure. The practice of “load-shedding,” periodic electricity cuts by the government, is something the people of Pakistan are well accustomed to however this recent blackout is a testament to the disastrous financial state the country is in. The current government of Pakistan has faced accusations of poor management of the country’s financial situation, one that experts predict may lead to the nation defaulting on its massive foreign debt.
The Lack of Investment
The blame for the recent energy crises in Pakistan also fell on the lack of investment put into the nation’s power grid. The energy minister blamed the previous government for failing to upgrade the power grid. However, due to the ongoing economic crises, funding has seemingly dried up. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has already bailed Pakistan out five times in the previous 20 years. In addition, as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, there have been investments of almost $60 billion in the energy sector, yet the impact of this is unpredictable. This combination of factors is exacerbating an already heightened energy crisis in Pakistan that affects millions of people daily. Many Pakistani residents do not have access to electricity for hours and it is especially devastating for hospitals and schools.
The future of the energy crises in Pakistan remains bleak. The government relies on foreign fuel supplies and is losing more money than it makes. The effect on people is devastating. In Peshawar, with a population of more than 2 million residents, many residents reported not having access to clean water as pumps require electricity to work. Many hospitals nationwide had to switch to backup generators. Going forward, reports have indicated that Pakistan and Russia are cooperating on the oil and gas supply to the country on a large scale. Claims are that it will be a long-term operation, however, only time will tell if the government will be able to rectify the mistakes of the recent energy crises in Pakistan.
– Saad Haque
Photo: Flickr
Spaceport Brings Djibouti Promise
Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group Limited and Touchroad International Holdings Group have recently signed a memorandum agreeing to build a new spaceport in the northern Obock Region of Djibouti. The new spaceport brings Djibouti promise and should alleviate Djibouti’s poverty. The international commercial spaceport will have seven satellite launchpads and three rocket testing pads. The Republic of Djibouti received $1 billion with five years to complete the project before use begins.
Djibouti’s Poverty and Unemployment
According to the most recent data, with 21.1% of the population living in extreme poverty, Djibouti is a poor nation. The unemployment rate for Djibouti is also high. In 2021, it was 28.39%. The spaceport should increase employment and therefore help lower the poverty rate.
Africa’s Growing Space Ambitions
This project is Djibouti’s entry into an energized spaceport industry on the African continent. South Africa and Egypt sit at the forefront of African space development, but they are by no means alone. Private sector investment is driving space race competition on the continent. That competitive market, in turn, should bolster Djibouti’s technological development.
Oman, a country near Djibouti, is also planning its entry into the spaceport industry. The National Aerospace Services Company’s Etlaq Space Launch Complex should be operational in 2024. It will focus on educational and commercial orbital and suborbital launches from Duqm, a port city.
Djibouti’s Space Entrance Beyond the Spaceport
Djibouti’s new spaceport is not the only space development in the country. Last year the country also announced its plans to launch two satellites named Djibouti 1A and Djibouti 1B. Djibouti worked with the Van Allen Foundation on plans for these satellites specifically to support the nation’s sustainable development goals. In addition, Djibouti sent 10 engineers to the University Space Centre of Montpellier, France to learn about satellite development.
Djibouti’s New Spaceport Supporting Development
Djibouti’s new spaceport could offer significant employment and educational opportunities for the nation. Djibouti falls far behind the African average in terms of current research output per capita. Only 11% of students in Djibouti either complete secondary school or go on to further education such as a university.
In the past, African research has not generated public engagement. As Nigerian virologist Oyewale Tomoris noted in a recent interview, “If your science doesn’t affect the life of your people, nobody cares about you.” Most recently, though, Africa is, nonetheless, beginning to be a site of exciting development in terms of scientific technologies.
The spaceport could support Djibouti in the creation of scientific jobs and research. The development of a spaceport of a similar size in Cornwall, England, will likely generate 240 jobs, not including those involved in the building of the spaceport and its associated businesses. Projections have indicated that it could bring the British economy an additional 240 million pounds of gross added value. Djibouti’s new spaceport could generate a similar number of jobs and added value. The facility can also help reduce the brain drain in Europe and North America, with which so many African countries struggle. The spaceport will also involve the construction of a highway and a port which will benefit all residents of the country.
Djibouti’s Geopolitical Influence
In addition to scientific development, the spaceport can help Djibouti to increase its influence on the global stage. The country is only small at only 23,200 square kilometers, but it is already home to the only United States military base on African soil. Camp Lemonnier has increased Djibouti’s geopolitical influence and supports Djibouti with humanitarian aid and community support.
Djibouti is increasingly participating in international politics. On January 9, 2023, the country became the latest member to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), at the United Nations headquarters in New York. As the country becomes more influential, it will undoubtedly experience the associated benefits.The plans to develop a new spaceport in Djibouti represent an exciting time for the country. The new spaceport brings Djibouti promise. In addition to providing infrastructure and bringing new technology and research to the country, the new spaceport should help alleviate Djibouti’s poverty.
– Florence Jones
Photo: Flickr
Resolving Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis
World Bank data reveals that almost 300,000 Sri Lankans fell under the poverty line in 2020, meaning that 12.7% of the population lived on less than $3.65 a day. The COVID-19 pandemic had a lethal effect on the tourism, manufacturing and construction sectors that locals are financially reliant on.
In an interview with The Borgen Project, Saman Kumara, a guest house owner in the city of Haputale in Sri Lanka, shares that the local population has resorted to selling their personal property to secure money for food and medicine. According to 2022 data from the World Food Programme (WFP), close to 30% of Sri Lanka’s households (more than 6 million people) experience food insecurity. Adding insult to injury, citizens are experiencing power cuts of up to 13 hours and massive shortages of medicine and fuel. These consequences stem from government mismanagement and failure to act on time, resulting in Sri Lanka’s deepest economic crisis yet.
Coping with the Crisis
To alleviate the impacts of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, in 2020, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) examined Sri Lanka’s social protection response, concentrating on cash transfer initiatives. The Sri Lankan government swiftly established a cash transfer initiative in response to the crisis, “providing millions of monthly payments of LKR5,000 (roughly $14) to households in April and May.” Although the initiative lasted just two months, the government managed to reach most of the country’s citizens with this financial sustenance.
Kumara says that, during the pandemic, “the rich became richer” by buying off the properties that poverty-stricken people were forced to sell due to financial difficulties. “We had to sell our properties, vehicles and land to earn some money because every other income was blocked. [Wealthy] people bought those properties and vehicles at a very low price and that made the situation even worse.”
Government Mismanagement
Official records from Sri Lanka’s Department of External Resources show that by the end of April 2022, the government’s external debt amounted to $34.8 billion. The BBC reported in May 2022 that “Sri Lanka has defaulted on its debt for the first time in its history.” The economic turmoil, rolling blackouts, shortages of essential resources and staggering inflation have caused countrywide protests.
According to protestors, “a series of missteps” that the president and his administration have made have led the once vibrant and thriving economy of Sri Lanka to a fatal crash. In July 2022, after angry protesters stormed his family residence, President Rajapaksa chose to step down from his position and fled the country.
Some of the decisions that triggered Sri Lanka’s economic crisis include the ban on chemical fertilizers, a decision that the government later reversed, but detrimentally affected Sri Lanka’s tea industry and increased food insecurity. Tax cuts in order to garner political support worsened the economic situation while Sri Lanka’s external debt continued to grow. Overall, citizens blame Sri Lanka’s economic collapse on poor governance and severe mismanagement of the economy.
A New Administration
In June 2022, Sri Lankan members of parliament appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as Sri Lanka’s new president, but according to Kumara, the new government has not helped the situation. “Yes, the government has changed but prices keep increasing. Before the pandemic, 1kg of rice cost 80 rupees (equivalent to $0.22), but now it costs more than 240 rupees (equivalent to $0.66). Petrol, gas and electricity have increased by about 800%,” Kumara says.
“Many of us [have no choice but] to leave the country as we cannot recover from the pandemic. Lots of restaurants are closed, most hotels have remained closed and people skip meals to save food and money.” Kumara also shared that the crisis has led to an increase in criminal activity and mental difficulties. “Every day we see on the news more robberies, suicides, people struggling with income.”
“We were lucky because our business received help from abroad. Previous guests [who] have been staying at our guest house sent us some money to lend a hand. However, it’s been almost impossible to recover from Sri Lanka’s economic crisis,” Kumara notes.
A September 2022 report by the U.N. says, in Sri Lanka, “Fundamental changes will be required to address the current challenges and to avoid repetition of the human rights violations of the past.”
A Helping Hand
Help from abroad comes as UNICEF and Rotary International announce their new scheme to “deliver critical lifesaving supplies to families impacted by the crisis in Sri Lanka,” the UNICEF website says. The partnership, announced on 22 August 2022, aims to tackle the deepening economic crisis impacting the Sri Lankan community. Among other essentials, the partners will provide clean water, medicines, educational resources and medical equipment.
Projections by the World Bank suggest that poverty will continue to stand above 25% in the years to come. Aid from international organizations helps struggling Sri Lankans meet their basic needs, but for lasting change to occur, the new government needs to step up with reforms and solutions to reverse the damage that the previous administration caused.
– Ralitsa Pashkuleva
Photo: Flickr
Women’s Rights in Iran and Afghanistan
Women’s Challenges in Iran
As Human Rights Watch reported, once a girl has hit puberty, they must wear the hijab. Additionally, any protest of the hijab can result in a fine or detention, which often includes beatings, harassment or sentencing to a term in prison. This denial of choice in clothing is just one way of controlling Iranian women, influencing their view of choice in all other aspects of life.
Thus, the retaliation Amini’s death sparked was not only in response to her death, but the risk Iranian women face in making choices as seemingly simple as how to wear a hijab.
This dangerous Iranian regime has not only “created many dangerous social crises,” according to Iran Focus, but has left more than 3 million women unemployed as heads of households, extending poverty to an additional 7 million children.
Gender discrimination in Iran is actively contributing to increasing poverty levels, with women who are the sole providers in their families struggling to meet ends for themselves and their families. Here are two organizations fighting for women’s rights in Iran, thereby fighting poverty.
The Iranian American Women Foundation (IAWF)
United for Iran
In its IranIncubator 1.0 and IranIncubator 2.0 projects, United for Iran connected app developers and software engineers to “civil society leaders” to collaborate on apps to better the lives of vulnerable social groups (i.e. women, immigrants, LGBTQI communities, activists, etc.). By assessing community needs, app developers and leaders brainstorm and develop apps to serve Iran’s most vulnerable.
Additionally, back in 2015, the organization led a campaign to free Bahreh Hedayat, a women’s rights activist, who is serving a 10-year prison sentence for peaceful protests against gender discrimination and violence towards women. In its campaign, U4I acquired 130,000 petitioners for Hedayat’s release.
Women’s Challenges in Afghanistan
Amini’s death sparked retaliation in Iran against the commonplace violence women endure, and in retaliation, security forces have killed 201 protestors. Similarly, the Talbian’s latest education ban inspired protests in Herat, where female protestors faced water cannons for their retaliation.
About 71.5% of adult females in Afghanistan face “severe food insecurity”– versus 61.2% of adult men. With the new bans on women pursuing education and careers, this statistic is likely to worsen.
Afghani women who no longer have the option to work and are the heads of households have no choice but to starve and households relying on both parents’ incomes will be highly vulnerable to poverty and food scarcity. Here are two organizations fighting for women’s rights and against poverty in Afghanistan.
Women for Afghan Women (WAW)
Women for Afghan Women (WAW), founded in 2001, is a civil-society organization– and the largest women’s organization in Afghanistan– that promotes women’s rights in Afghanistan. By working with victims of domestic violence, WAW aims to empower women to “pursue their individual potential,” and fight for places in scenes prohibited to Afghani women (i.e. political scenes).
Over the past 22 years, WAW has distributed food and sanitary necessities to women and girls in Afghanistan, operating 34 centers to provide women’s protection services, child support and family guidance.
By August 2022, WAW’s efforts supported 94,863 Afghani individuals, 11,454 families and 1,355 survivors of gender-based violence, equipping families, Afghani women and girls with immediate and long-term relief services and support.
Women’s Regional Network (WRN)
WRN hosts community conversations with Afghani women regarding any emergent needs, conflicts and policy discourse. By offering safe spaces for women to speak freely, learn about policy impact and brainstorm solutions, WRN equips Afghani women with hope for and actionable plans for a more equitable future.
While news headlines regarding women’s rights in Iran and Afghanistan may be tough to read, it is an important reminder that the fight for equality and civil rights around the world is not nearly at a close. Every day women’s rights in Iran and Afghanistan are at risk, raising the vulnerability of women and children to severe poverty. Consider donating to or reading more about these four organizations fighting for women’s rights in Iran and Afghanistan to help.
Photo: Flickr
How the PAHO Telehealth System Compares to Other Systems
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has created its own digital platform to bring a telehealth system to those in the remotest parts of Latin America and the Caribbean. “The aim of the platform is to improve patient outreach and follow-up, with an emphasis on continuity of care for people with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs),” said Sebastian Garcia Saiso, the Director of the Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health at PAHO.
Accounting for more than 70% of deaths across the globe, NCDs are the leading cause of disability and death in the world. The platform will be able to help ailing patients and allow healthcare workers to refer patients residing in remote locations before they undertake potentially burdensome travel.
The platform will be rolled out to The Bahamas, El Salvador, Honduras, Peru, Suriname, Dominica, Uruguay, Panama and Nicaragua. Below is a comparison of the PAHO telehealth system and those currently in place.
Telehealth System in Trinidad and Tobago
In a collaborative effort between PAHO and the Ministry of Health of Trinidad and Tobago, mobile medical robots underwent deployment to public health facilities in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. This benefitted those in the community who did not want to be face-to-face with their health care provider during the outbreak.
This shows that PAHO is not unfamiliar with working in Trinidad and Tobago and its continued work to get the most vital telehealth services to those who need them.
According to Erica Wheeler, a PAHO representative in Trinidad and Tobago, “Since the COVID-19 pandemic, both patients, as well as health professionals, are more eager now to engage in the use of the benefits of telemedicine.”
Telehealth System in Peru
Compared to other countries, Peru accelerated the implementation of telehealth services in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While this was a step in the right direction, Peru’s telemedicine system was considered a hasty step because of inadequate internet access nationwide.
Peru has many factors working against the efforts of telemedicine to be effective. These include geographical concerns, costly internet prices and a high population of low-income individuals. PAHO’s “All-in-ONE Telehealth platform” will help to reach out to these people and have routine checkups to keep diseases, especially NCDs in check.
Telehealth System in Uruguay
The government of Uruguay saw the need for online health care and, in 2012, created the website “Salud.uy.” The National Agency of Electronic Government, Uruguay’s Presidency, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economy all collaborated in developing the platform. In March 2020, the government passed legislation to encourage telemedicine development and implementation in Uruguay. While Uruguay has made great strides in its own goals of getting telemedicine across the country, the efforts of PAHO will help those in the most remote spots.
Concluding Thoughts
The comparison of the PAHO telehealth system and those currently in place in countries across Latin America and the Caribbean revealed that many countries need help to bring the benefits of telehealth to their citizens. PAHO’s system will serve as a bridge by aiding those who need the most help.
– Sean McMullen
Photo: Flickr
6 Facts to Know About Diabetes in Mexico
In 2019, diabetes was the second-highest cause of death in Mexico. Due to these alarming statistics, the government is looking to lower diabetes rates and increase the health and quality of life of its citizens, especially vulnerable and impoverished populations who are most at risk of acquiring the condition.
6 Facts to Know About Diabetes in Mexico
Looking Ahead
With increased efforts to make diabetes care in Mexico both affordable and accessible, the nation has the potential to reduce the prevalence of diabetes in the country and reduce the economic costs associated with it.
– Emma Cook
Photo: Pixabay
Solar-Powered Oxygen Systems in Somalia Save Lives
As of November 2022, the World Bank recorded that close to 70% of Somalia’s population lives in poverty and 90% suffer from multidimensional impoverishment. Among many other basic necessities, many cannot afford health care services that prevent or cure fatal diseases, such as pneumonia. Solar-powered oxygen systems in Somalia provide an innovative solution to address pneumonia and prevent pneumonia-related deaths in Somalia. However, before early 2021, health facilities in Somalia struggled to provide patients with critical oxygen.
Pneumonia in Somalia
Many diseases plague Somalia due to widespread poverty and a lack of access to health care, nutritious food, clean water and safe sanitation. In 2019, lower respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, stood as the number one disease contributing to the highest number of deaths in Somalia. Somalia has one of the world’s highest rates of child mortality and pneumonia accounts for 25% of these deaths.
Pneumonia is a severe respiratory disease impacting the lungs. Caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi, pneumonia leads to breathing difficulties. A person with pneumonia experiences pain while breathing and cannot breathe in enough oxygen. “Pneumonia is the single largest infectious cause of death in children worldwide,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
However, parents can prevent pneumonia in children through vaccinations to protect against “Hib, pneumococcus, measles and whooping cough (pertussis),” the WHO highlights. To ensure the effectiveness of immunization, adequate nutrition is essential. Because Somalia is one of the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Somali children suffer from malnutrition and undernutrition, which puts them at risk of weakened immune systems that could make them more susceptible to acquiring pneumonia.
Apart from the importance of adequate nutrition, oxygen is needed in large quantities as a therapy to combat pneumonia. Somalia lacks oxygen systems, tanks and other essential equipment, which makes the treatment of pneumonia and pneumonia-related diseases difficult. The need for oxygen systems in the country became more apparent and urgent during the COVID-19 pandemic as many people needed these to survive.
Poor parents in Somalia struggle to access health care services for their children because of financial constraints, putting timely health care treatment out of reach. Another issue impacting health care facilities is a lack of electricity to operate essential equipment and oxygen concentrators. The introduction of solar-powered oxygen tanks in Somalia resolves this issue.
Solar-Powered Oxygen Systems
A collaboration between the WHO, the innovative nonprofit Grand Challenges Canada (GCC) and a team from the University of Alberta gave rise to an innovation that has so far saved many from pneumonia-related deaths in Somalia.
Dr. Mamunur Rahman Malik, a WHO Somalia representative, said in an interview with VOA News, “pneumonia is the deadliest disease among children under the age of five in the country. Until now, health authorities had not had access to an intervention that could reduce deaths from childhood pneumonia.”
The partners installed the solar-powered oxygen system, “the first of its kind,” in January 2021 at the Hanaano General Hospital in Dusamareb, Somalia. By harnessing the sun, which is a cost-free resource, the systems capture enough solar energy to use during the day, at night and at times when the weather is not sunny, like on cloudy days.
The solar-powered oxygen system provided critical oxygen to 171 patients at the hospital from February 2021 to October 2021. Of these patients, 163 patients (95.3%) made full recoveries.
The innovative and life-saving solar-powered oxygen systems in Somalia have reduced the cost of treatment for pneumonia and pneumonia-related diseases and can operate without an electricity supply. This medical innovation has the potential to significantly reduce the mortality rate in the country.
– Oluwagbohunmi Bajela
Photo: Flickr
How One Acre Fund Helps Farmers in Africa
The One Acre Fund is a Kenya-based social enterprise that believes “farmers are the key to achieving food security and prosperity.” Yet, in sub-Saharan Africa, farmers account for most individuals surviving on just a dollar per day. The One Acre Fund supports farmers in the nine African countries that are responsible for the production of 80% of Africa’s food supply. The One Acre Fund website highlights that by 2030, about 90% of individuals surviving on a dollar a day will reside in sub-Saharan Africa. With statistics such as these, it is clear to see why One Acre Fund has a particular focus on farmers in sub-Saharan Africa specifically. The social enterprise works to reduce poverty by providing farmers with vital supplies and training to increase yields and bring in more income with a goal to benefit 10 million farmers by 2030.
The Importance of Supporting Smallholder Farmers
Smallholder farmers depend on the crops they cultivate not only to gain a stable income but also to feed themselves and their families. By helping farmers just as the One Acre Fund does, farming families are able to secure a more stable supply of food all year round and perhaps even a surplus yield, benefiting nutrition and overall food security. Global Citizen highlights that “financing for farmers pays for itself — every $1 invested in agricultural research by demand-driven research institutions such as the CGIAR generates $6 or more in benefits, such as increased farmer income and better health and educational outcomes for community members.”
The One Acre Fund Training Programs
When it comes to boosting the success of smallholder farmers, receiving quality agricultural training is just as important as having quality supplies. One Acre Fund provides direct and personalized training to farmers to improve productivity and yields. For instance, farmers learn beneficial planting techniques, how to prepare the land for planting, how to prevent infestations of diseases and pests and battle unexpected barriers in growing crops, among other topics.
The One Acre Fund aims to provide farmers with the knowledge and skills to improve climate resiliency, considering that Africa often faces extreme weather conditions, such as floods and drought. The training of smallholder farmers not only enhances their knowledge and skills but also advances their independence and allows farmers to pass down the knowledge to more people in their communities to multiply the impact of the training.
Last Mile Delivery
In 2021, 58% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa lived in rural areas with many of these areas being remote and lacking infrastructure and road networks. This lack of connectedness introduces a new obstacle when it comes to delivering smallholder farmers the necessary resources to thrive agriculturally, like seeds and other essential farming supplies.
The One Acre Fund introduced the Last Mile Delivery strategy to ensure farmers in the most remote places can access essential resources that will help break the cycle of poverty. In order to do this, the social enterprise delivers through three pathways: retail shops, field officers and trials of online apps. One Acre Fund utilizes “geotagging software to pinpoint and monitor activity at each delivery site” to make sure farmers receive the supplies. Even if there are no proper roads because of a lack of infrastructure in under-developed areas, alternative modes of transport are utilized for deliveries, such as tractors and motorcycles.
The One Acre Fund’s Impacts
In 2021, the efforts of One Acre Fund benefited the lives and livelihoods of 3.2 million farmers. The social enterprise has expanded the income of farmers by about 40% annually, resulting in “$210 million in new farm profits,” its website says. One Acre Fund has provided job opportunities to about 9,500 individuals, mainly from rural locations. The social enterprise highlights a successful return on investment: “$2.70 new farm profits created for every $1 of donor investment.” Overall, the work of social enterprises such as the One Acre Fund betters the lives of disadvantaged smallholder farmers in Africa by increasing agricultural yields and reducing poverty.
– Ruby Wallace
Photo: Flickr