Millions of tourists visit Spain each year, experiencing the country’s rich culture and beautiful architecture. On the surface, Spain might seem like a perfect place, an escape from everyday hardship. But, deeper down, the country is not immune from economic troubles as poverty marches through Spain. The nation’s problem with poverty is especially relevant for the country’s senior citizens. Elderly poverty in Spain threatens the well-being of the nation’s seniors, and recent events might exacerbate this problem.
The Current Problem
Most recently, people in Spain are experiencing higher poverty rates due to the unforeseen circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences. Although the nation’s pension system works to keep millions of older people out of poverty, it is still critical to recognize poverty’s impact on the most vulnerable elders.
Even though state-provided pensions help curtail old-age poverty, 20.5% of Spanish seniors are at risk of poverty and exclusion. Many elders receive incomes below the poverty threshold, which leads to unnecessary hardship for the aging population. Spain’s social safety net is a helpful tool in the war against poverty. However, many elders still lack adequate resources to thwart economic hardship completely.
It is worth noting that Spain is doing relatively well compared to the rest of the world. The Global AgeWatch Index ranked Spain as the 25th best nation for elders’ social and economic well-being in 2015. Additionally, only 9.4% of individuals aged over 65 live in relative income poverty in Spain compared to 13.5% for the average OECD nation.
Gender Inequities
Spain’s problem with old-age poverty might appear relatively better off than many other nations. However, there are entrenched inequities, particularly those based on gender.
There are 10.6% of older Spanish women with income poverty rate. Compared to 7.8% of men, this gender gap persists despite any progress to reduce elderly poverty. Two primary contributors to this discrepancy are women’s, on average, lower lifetime earnings and higher life expectancy, according to OECD.
Changing Demographics
Interestingly, elderly poverty in Spain is lower than the poverty rate for the total population, which stands at 15.5%, according to the OECD. In this case, while one might think that Madrid may shift its attention to the poverty facing young adults, the well-being of elders faces a precarious trajectory given changes in demographics.
Spain’s life expectancy is on the rise with an average of 84 years, three years higher than the OECD average. Its fertility rate is also reaching new lows with only 1.2 births per woman. The nation’s high life expectancy and low fertility rates work in tandem to spell out a disaster for old-age poverty. A growing population of elders threatens the stability of old-age pensions since fewer workers will be supporting the elder safety net. With a lower ratio of workers to retirees, the Spanish economy will suffer trying to keep up with the burden of paying for more expensive social insurance.
These changing demographics will have a disproportionate impact on its rural residents. With more elders in Spain’s rural towns and villages, the fight to eliminate old-age poverty tackles a new obstacle: an isolated aging population.
Rural areas already have reduced access to stable health infrastructure and as senior residents get older, many Spaniards will be unable to drive to necessary facilities, according to the European Anti Poverty Network. This inequity in access forewarns higher poverty rates, lower well-being and increased social isolation for vulnerable elders. Without easily accessible resources, rural Spanish elders will suffer.
Novel Threats
The COVID-19 pandemic pinpointed the weaknesses in Spain’s care for the elderly. Notably, many hospitals refused to provide care for seniors and many nursing homes lacked the resources to navigate the pandemic.
Even though COVID-19 cases have fallen from their peak, pandemic-related issues may aggravate elderly poverty in Spain. The resulting economic instability risks growing inflation, diluting the purchasing power of elders.
Spain’s inflation reached 10.2% in June 2022 and this high number does not bode well for senior citizens. Higher inflation weakens the purchasing power of government-paid pensions for the elderly, which may reverse the tide in reducing old-age poverty.
Crafting Solutions
The news on Spain’s poverty rate may seem bleak, however, the public and private sectors could help present new solutions to continue mitigating old-age poverty. Reducing elderly poverty in Spain could emerge from a wide array of tactics. For instance, the government could increase investments in the social safety net, ensuring higher purchasing power for elders receiving pensions.
Additionally, new independent initiatives could target increasing accessibility to proper resources by bridging the digital divide and expanding access to high-quality health infrastructure to safeguard elders from falling into poverty. The next steps in this fight could aim to combat inequities in elderly poverty, especially for women and rural residents.
The work of non-governmental organizations like United Way Spain offers hope for Spain’s impoverished elderly. Starting in 2016, United Way Spain aids the country’s most vulnerable citizens with projects focused on education, health and employability. The organization’s MENCÍA Program operates to combat elder loneliness, bringing in volunteers to accompany seniors, assist in daily tasks and foster intergenerational connections.
Working exclusively on the local level, United Way Spain is bettering the lives of its most vulnerable elders by crafting new initiatives to advance the prosperity of its elders.
Even though Spain may already be ahead of most of the world in tackling elderly poverty, many efforts are still needed to eradicate global poverty. Supporting the work of an NGO like United Way Spain showcases one of the many ways to get involved in the fight against elderly poverty.
– Michael Cardamone
Photo: Unsplash
Renewable Energy in the Philippines
The State of Electricity Access in the Philippines
The Philippines historically has relatively lower rates of energy consumption. However, demand is growing as the government works to expand electricity access to the whole nation. As of 2020, 96.8% of people in the Philippines have access to electricity, an increase of 20% over the last two decades. This has paid for itself through the benefits that it has brought to the Filipino economy. For instance, there is an annual welfare gain of $616 in electrified households. This, when taking the cost of electricity into account, is roughly the same increase in welfare that comes from conditional cash transfers that the government runs.
Despite the benefits that increased access to electricity has brought, its stability often falls into question, especially because of the impacts of climate change. Electricity outages affect every sector of the Filipino economy and just one hour of an outage has been demonstrated to deal a heavy blow to its GDP. Not only do these outages harm the economy, but dozens of peer-reviewed articles have pointed to evidence that they also lead to negative health outcomes in both the short and long term.
How Renewable Energy Can Help Improve the Situation
With the drastic consequences of power outages playing themselves out so often, it has become apparent that in order for the development of the Philippines to be sustainable, the energy it uses must be as well. A grid powered by renewables has been shown in models to provide stability at a cheaper price point. Not only is it possible, but some also claim it is preferable. The money and time invested into short-term energy supplies, such as kerosene, stands in the way of more productive economic activities that can fuel growth. Harnessing readily available resources, such as water or the sun, can quickly supply remote villages with long-term electricity.
Luckily, the Philippines is home to an abundant supply of renewable energy resources that can provide low-cost solutions to a lack of reliable energy. Considering the number of fossil fuels that the Philippines currently imports to keep the lights on, investment in homegrown solar, wind, hydro and geothermal power sources could save everyday Filipinos money while bolstering the country’s economy.
Where Renewable Energy in the Philippines Stands Right Now
With over 47% of its energy coming from renewables, the Philippines has been a leader in the expansion of these technologies. Though there has been an uptick in the use of renewable energy, it still has a long way to go before it unleashes its full potential. The government has set a goal of 15.3 GW of renewable power capacity by 2030, according to Energy Tracker Asia.
Currently, the majority of renewable energy in the Philippines comes from geothermal sources as it has some of the greatest stores of geothermal power capacity on the planet. Much of the government’s plans for expanding renewable energy are centered around increasing its geothermal capacity. Greater use of hydropower, wind and solar also factor heavily into the government’s plans, Energy Tracker Asia reports.
Solutions
The Philippine government has worked vigorously to expand the use of renewables. One of the key factors to its success has been shaping a marketplace that incentivizes renewable energy in the Philippines under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008. Some of these incentives include tax breaks, renewable energy sourcing mandates for suppliers and the Green Energy Option Plan which allows users to switch to a renewable energy supplier.
Along with government action, a number of businesses and NGOs are helping the Philippines along the way in its renewable energy transition. One of these organizations is Okra Solar, a company that supplies mesh grids to villages that they can quickly attach to rooftops of households and organizations to generate energy which is quicker than waiting to get a permit for a large-scale project. Once these grids are set up, they can be linked to other grids in the same system over time to provide a whole population with shared electricity access.
This has been especially beneficial for remote islands of the Philippines that often rely on importing diesel for electricity needs. The company’s systems could create a 30% increase in income through jobs in management and upkeep of the panels. Okra Solar has received a loan of $500,000 to supply 30,000 pods over the next few years.
The Philippines has come a long way in its mission of providing electricity access to all of its population. As demand grows, a key way to avoid power outages and reduce the costs of electricity is further to invest in renewables. Companies like Okra Solar and policies such as the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 will help the Philippines reach a sustainable and electrified future.
– Joey Harris
Photo: Flickr
How Cellphones are Ending Rural Poverty in Vietnam
Rural Poverty in Vietnam
Sprinkled along the rolling, verdant rice paddies of Vietnam are communities of rural families. These rural areas are concentrated with the remaining households that struggle in poverty. Ethnic minorities in these communities are particularly at risk of poverty. In fact, 57% of ethnic minorities in high mountain rural communities are impoverished.
However, one can still note visible progress in these communities. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Phan An, a local resident, recalls reading by oil lamp and bathing in flooded rice fields as a child. He and his family lived in Danang in a single room with no electricity or water. By his 20s, An had a computer, washing machine, flat-screen TV and refrigerator.
Cellphones, in particular, have been on the rise in rural communities. In the 1990s, Vietnam had “one telephone per 544 people.” A 2018/19 report shows that 89% of the population in rural Vietnam have a cellphone, and of this percentage, 68% own a smartphone. The popularity of this technology could be a key tool in tackling rural poverty in Vietnam.
A New Technological Solution
As part of the continuing work to end poverty in the country, Vietnam’s Ministry of Labor Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the Cao Bang Provincial People Committee worked together with the World Bank to implement a new technology that specifically targets these vulnerable populations. In January 2019, the partners piloted the technology in specific provinces of the country where 90% of the population are ethnic minorities.
The new technology is an electronic payment program for social assistance benefits. Before the pilot program, Vietnam made assistance payments through an onerous cash system. The dispersal of the cash would occur on only two days of the month. This meant that those looking to collect their benefits would have to wait until the next month to receive their payment if they happened to be unavailable or otherwise ran into an emergency that kept them from getting to the local government office.
Not only was this ineffective for beneficiaries, but also for local officials. The process required that the relevant department make a payment list, call communal officials to collect the money and only then would the officials disseminate the cash directly to recipients.
The Benefits of the Program
The new program allows individuals to receive electronic payments directly to their cellphones. Local payment officials assist beneficiaries in setting up an electronic payment account. From then on, social assistance payments are deposited directly into the account and the beneficiary receives a notification on their cellphone that payment has taken place. From there, the beneficiary can either go to payment agents in their commune to make cash withdrawals from the account or the beneficiary can pay electricity, internet and phone bills directly from their phone. Beneficiaries can also transfer money to family members.
This pilot program eases the workload of government administrators. It also facilitates a quicker, more secure and much more convenient transfer of essential benefits to more than 3,000 citizens, most of whom are ethnic minorities. As a lack of financial capital is a key driver of continued rural poverty in Vietnam, getting benefits to those most vulnerable in these communities could be a catapult to even more dazzling success in reducing poverty in Vietnam.
– Grace Ramsey
Photo: Unsplash
Novel Threats to Elderly Poverty in Spain
The Current Problem
Most recently, people in Spain are experiencing higher poverty rates due to the unforeseen circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences. Although the nation’s pension system works to keep millions of older people out of poverty, it is still critical to recognize poverty’s impact on the most vulnerable elders.
Even though state-provided pensions help curtail old-age poverty, 20.5% of Spanish seniors are at risk of poverty and exclusion. Many elders receive incomes below the poverty threshold, which leads to unnecessary hardship for the aging population. Spain’s social safety net is a helpful tool in the war against poverty. However, many elders still lack adequate resources to thwart economic hardship completely.
It is worth noting that Spain is doing relatively well compared to the rest of the world. The Global AgeWatch Index ranked Spain as the 25th best nation for elders’ social and economic well-being in 2015. Additionally, only 9.4% of individuals aged over 65 live in relative income poverty in Spain compared to 13.5% for the average OECD nation.
Gender Inequities
Spain’s problem with old-age poverty might appear relatively better off than many other nations. However, there are entrenched inequities, particularly those based on gender.
There are 10.6% of older Spanish women with income poverty rate. Compared to 7.8% of men, this gender gap persists despite any progress to reduce elderly poverty. Two primary contributors to this discrepancy are women’s, on average, lower lifetime earnings and higher life expectancy, according to OECD.
Changing Demographics
Interestingly, elderly poverty in Spain is lower than the poverty rate for the total population, which stands at 15.5%, according to the OECD. In this case, while one might think that Madrid may shift its attention to the poverty facing young adults, the well-being of elders faces a precarious trajectory given changes in demographics.
Spain’s life expectancy is on the rise with an average of 84 years, three years higher than the OECD average. Its fertility rate is also reaching new lows with only 1.2 births per woman. The nation’s high life expectancy and low fertility rates work in tandem to spell out a disaster for old-age poverty. A growing population of elders threatens the stability of old-age pensions since fewer workers will be supporting the elder safety net. With a lower ratio of workers to retirees, the Spanish economy will suffer trying to keep up with the burden of paying for more expensive social insurance.
These changing demographics will have a disproportionate impact on its rural residents. With more elders in Spain’s rural towns and villages, the fight to eliminate old-age poverty tackles a new obstacle: an isolated aging population.
Rural areas already have reduced access to stable health infrastructure and as senior residents get older, many Spaniards will be unable to drive to necessary facilities, according to the European Anti Poverty Network. This inequity in access forewarns higher poverty rates, lower well-being and increased social isolation for vulnerable elders. Without easily accessible resources, rural Spanish elders will suffer.
Novel Threats
The COVID-19 pandemic pinpointed the weaknesses in Spain’s care for the elderly. Notably, many hospitals refused to provide care for seniors and many nursing homes lacked the resources to navigate the pandemic.
Even though COVID-19 cases have fallen from their peak, pandemic-related issues may aggravate elderly poverty in Spain. The resulting economic instability risks growing inflation, diluting the purchasing power of elders.
Spain’s inflation reached 10.2% in June 2022 and this high number does not bode well for senior citizens. Higher inflation weakens the purchasing power of government-paid pensions for the elderly, which may reverse the tide in reducing old-age poverty.
Crafting Solutions
The news on Spain’s poverty rate may seem bleak, however, the public and private sectors could help present new solutions to continue mitigating old-age poverty. Reducing elderly poverty in Spain could emerge from a wide array of tactics. For instance, the government could increase investments in the social safety net, ensuring higher purchasing power for elders receiving pensions.
Additionally, new independent initiatives could target increasing accessibility to proper resources by bridging the digital divide and expanding access to high-quality health infrastructure to safeguard elders from falling into poverty. The next steps in this fight could aim to combat inequities in elderly poverty, especially for women and rural residents.
The work of non-governmental organizations like United Way Spain offers hope for Spain’s impoverished elderly. Starting in 2016, United Way Spain aids the country’s most vulnerable citizens with projects focused on education, health and employability. The organization’s MENCÍA Program operates to combat elder loneliness, bringing in volunteers to accompany seniors, assist in daily tasks and foster intergenerational connections.
Working exclusively on the local level, United Way Spain is bettering the lives of its most vulnerable elders by crafting new initiatives to advance the prosperity of its elders.
Even though Spain may already be ahead of most of the world in tackling elderly poverty, many efforts are still needed to eradicate global poverty. Supporting the work of an NGO like United Way Spain showcases one of the many ways to get involved in the fight against elderly poverty.
– Michael Cardamone
Photo: Unsplash
Iraq’s CCHF Outbreak
A Brief Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Overview
CCHF is a tick-borne disease and most commonly arises from exposure to livestock, meaning that people working in the industry, such as farmers and butchers, are at increased risk. The first experienced symptoms of the virus include headache, fever, back and joint pain, stomach pain, vomiting and a flushed face. People who have had the virus for longer may experience severe bruising and nosebleeds, which could lead to hospitilization.
CCHF In Iraq
The Middle Eastern country of Iraq has a long history of contact with the virus and considers it a year-round threat. However, this recent outbreak has proven to be widespread, reaching many regions of the country and taking lives along the way. Iraq’s CCHF outbreak has earned the attention of the WHO, which is working with Iraq’s Ministry of Health to help contain and treat the outbreak.
The WHO has released a risk assessment, stating that people living in rural areas of Iraq are at a greater risk of contracting the disease, since livestock is abundant. The WHO also warns that the upcoming religious holiday Eid al-Adha may worsen the outbreak considering that citizens will slaughter more livestock for the holiday and there may be cross-border transportation of animals.
Solutions
The collaboration between the Ministry of Health and the WHO during Iraq’s CCHF outbreak is a cause for hope. An epidemiological investigation team is currently working to locate the original point of contact for the current outbreak, which will hopefully lead to more focused treatment. The WHO conducted a three-day workshop in March 2022 with local physicians, veterinarians, lab technicians, health workers and disease investigators, designed to increase the capacity of Iraq’s rapid response team. The training served as a source of information, better preparing the country to handle future outbreaks of CCHF.
The WHO has released many recommendations to the people of Iraq to help curb the spread of the virus and has provided resources for obtaining information and treatment. Since CCHF is a year-round threat in Iraq, the nation is prepared to treat cases of the virus, but the sudden influx of patients proved to be overwhelming. With the backing of the WHO, it is likely that this outbreak will soon slow and become manageable once again.
– Thomas Schneider
Photo: Flickr
Fighting Play Poverty Around the Globe
With rising research on the benefits of play on child development and performance, “play poverty” has become the focus of several NGOs and well-known organizations, such as FIFA.
The Power of Play
The World Economic Forum states that “Play is the rocket fuel of child development.” Psychologists believe play is crucial for brain development. Specifically, play “promotes connections between nerve cells, helps develop motor skills and coordination” and trains the brain to make sound decisions at an early age. As a result, the brain develops the “cognitive, emotional and social intelligence” that adults rely on.
In poor regions, many children are forced to forego their education to work or care for their families. In the regions most prone to low enrolment rates and the harsh realities of life, “time for play is often displaced by the chores and responsibilities that are so familiar to children growing up in poverty.” According to Right to Play, an NGO aiming to empower vulnerable children, play helps children stay in school while protecting them from exploitation and benefiting their future. Additionally, play helps children escape from “their harsh reality” of poverty, war and natural disasters.
Current Efforts by FIFA and Adidas
Adidas, FIFA and the FIFA Fan Movement, an organization connecting FIFA and the people, have collaborated to give ball donations to NGOs fighting for social good. The pandemic has left thousands of footballs unused; with sustainability in mind, the FIFA Fan Movement nominated 34 NGOs around the world and nine were selected. FIFA believes that their donation will help support “sport as a tool for building life skills such as teamwork, communication, hard work, discipline and a healthy outlet of physical activity.”
Case Study: Tanzania
In Tanzania, despite no school fees since 2015 in lower through secondary school, roughly 2 million children under the age of 13 are currently not enrolled or attending school. About 70% of Tanzanian children between the ages of 14 and 17 are not enrolled in secondary education. Unsurprisingly, UNICEF found that “primary school-aged children from the poorest families are three times less likely to attend school than those from the wealthiest households.” The children are not out-of-school due to the financial burdens of education it is partially free. The reason is that Tanzanian parents often rely on their children to be a further source of income or guardianship. Unfortunately, this often forces children into vulnerable positions such as working under hazardous conditions or early child marriage. In fact, two out of five Tanzanian girls get married before the age of 18.
Jambo for Development
Luckily, Jambo for Development, a Tanzanian-based NGO, is one of the nine organizations to receive 108 footballs from FIFA. The NGO’s mission, which has a long history of support from FIFA, is to enable all children to have an equal opportunity at achieving their dreams. With FIFA’s help, Jambo for Development has a good chance at making some Tanzanian children’s dreams come true, as they will be equipped “with the skills and tools to address and embrace the new realities of tomorrow.”
– Lena Maassen
Photo: Flickr
USAID Programs in Kosovo
2022 Development Funding and COVID-19 Relief
In March 2022, the United States announced $31.9 million in assistance to Kosovo. Per a USAID press release, the funding will work to “[promote] Kosovo-led development solutions to economic and democratic challenges.” This aligns with USAID’s goal of Kosovan self-reliance outlined in the USAID-Kosovo Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) — a plan which acts as a developmental roadmap for the country through 2025.
Earlier, in January 2022, the U.S. announced $3 million in additional COVID-19 assistance for Kosovo, building on the $5.1 million in aid given over the course of the pandemic. Along with this financial aid, USAID has also worked to deliver personal hygiene kits, ventilators, testing equipment and nearly 538,200 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to Kosovo. As of 23 June 2022, Kosovo has had a total of 228,563 COVID-19 cases resulting in 3,130 deaths.
Energy Sustainability Activity
Launched in February 2021 and expected to run through February 2026, the USAID Energy Sustainability Activity aims to enhance Kosovo’s energy security by building “sustainable power networks,” increasing energy capacity for local institutions and accelerating investment in Kosovan renewable energy infrastructure.
“The next five years for Kosovo are critical for establishing a robust, reliable and regionally integrated power system in line with Energy Community (EnC) standards — an integral part of bolstering the country’s economic growth and increasing opportunities for its citizens,” a USAID fact sheet explains.
As one of the most impoverished countries in Europe, with a per capita GDP of $4,291 as of December 2020, building a sustainable, reliable energy infrastructure is absolutely crucial for Kosovo as the country’s ongoing energy crisis acts as a direct obstacle to its economic development. “Without reliable, affordable electricity, Kosovo’s businesses cannot invest, operate and create jobs; hospitals and schools cannot function fully or safely with frequent power cuts… Basic services that people in developed countries take for granted cannot be offered.” says the World Bank.
Commercial Justice Activity
Operating as a larger program containing a plethora of smaller programs, the Commercial Justice Activity is an initiative by USAID and various Kosovan judicial institutions to work on judicial reforms that have the potential to promote “investment, economic growth and job creation” in Kosovo.
This program has already made a positive impact on the Kosovan justice system. The Kosovan government adopted a draft Law on Commercial Court in August 2021, which proposed the establishment of a standalone court for business and investment disputes in order to streamline commercial justice. Kosovo’s Assembly unanimously passed the law in February 2022.
Other aspects of this program include improved training for judges and court staff as well as initiatives to increase court accountability and efficiency.
Kosovo Youth Dialogue
USAID established the Kosovo Youth Dialogue in August 2021 for the primary purpose of empowering and educating the Kosovan youth population. The ongoing 30-month project works to encourage dialogue and education among the youth population regarding the country’s past and the various ethnic groups belonging to the region.
Specifically, the program aims to “[empower] young people to actively participate in the dealing with the past and reconciliation process in Kosovo by encouraging inter-ethnic communication, interaction and cooperation, addressing common interests, building confidence and promoting mutual understanding and positive attitudes.” The program includes youth exchange programs, grants, educational programs and partnerships with various Kosovan non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The Future
As one of the most impoverished countries in Europe, and considering its lack of recognition as a sovereign state by many, Kosovo has a long road ahead in achieving its sought-after self-sustainability. However, with its continued steadfast focus on policy reform, modernization and stability, the nation’s future is certainly bright.
With the work of these USAID programs in Kosovo and that of other like-minded organizations such as UNICEF, the World Bank and the European Commission, Kosovo can take much greater steps toward achieving its desired future of sustainability and improving the social and economic well-being of citizens.
– Riley Wooldridge
Photo: Pixabay
What to Know About Monkeypox in Africa
Smallpox only infected humans, making it simpler to eradicate through vaccination. Monkeypox also spreads from animal to human, making it more difficult to control the spread. Vaccines became readily available to non-endemic and wealthier countries this year when monkeypox cases appeared outside Africa, but are still not available to African nations, which have experienced sickness and death due to monkeypox for decades.
Strains of Monkeypox in Africa
Cases of monkeypox, specifically in sub-Saharan Africa, increased in the past 30 years. Several strains of monkeypox plague Africa, the most deadly being the Congo Basin strain that kills 10% of those infected. Despite its deadly nature, the Congo Basin strain has never strayed outside of Africa. Individuals self-isolate when infected to slow the spread. The Democratic Republic of the Congo experienced the most deaths in 2022 with 58 total deaths by June 2022. The West African strain is less deadly, with a mortality rate of 1-3%.
How Monkeypox Spreads
The first known case of monkeypox emerged in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the same time that scientists were trying to end smallpox, a 9-month-old child appeared to have monkeypox. Despite its name, historically, scientists have only found monkeypox in African monkeys once. It is most commonly contracted by rats and squirrels that live in close proximity to humans.
Monkeypox can spread from human to human by symptomatic infected individuals, such as through contact with bodily fluids and skin lesions. The year 2022 is not the first time monkeypox spread to countries outside of Africa. In 2003, monkeypox entered the United States via infected prairie dogs that came into contact with Gambian pouched rats from Ghana. These dogs, sold to people through pet shops, infected the humans who came into contact with them.
Risk Factors and Treatment
The World Health Organization recommends providing food and fluids to those infected. However, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 57% of residents do not have clean drinking water and 43% of children are malnourished, says Opportunity International.
Monkeypox has a higher mortality rate for the young and immune-compromised. Children infected with monkeypox in Africa have a higher risk of death than adults. During the 2017 monkeypox outbreak in Nigeria, about 57% of residents who died were HIV-positive.
In 2022, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) licensed an antiviral treatment for smallpox, known as tecovirimat, to treat monkeypox. The treatment is not readily available in Africa yet. The vaccine for smallpox is about 85% effective in protecting against monkeypox, additionally, in circumstances similar to the coronavirus vaccine hoarding by wealthier countries, wealthier countries are stockpiling monkeypox vaccines as well.
Reducing animal trade from Africa lowers the risk of creating groups of infected animals in other countries as most cases come from contact with sick and dead animals
Vaccine Inequity
From January 2022 to June 1, 2022, Africa has noted 63 deaths from monkeypox while non-endemic countries have not noted any deaths. In Africa, the sick must isolate and recover without the medications other countries provide to the sick.
Despite a history of inequity, there is hope as organizations work to extend relief to Africa.
Hope for Africa
As of May 31, 2022, Africa reported almost 1,400 cases of monkeypox to the World Health Organization (WHO) for the year 2022.
The WHO is now working with endemic African countries and other relevant parties to “bolster laboratory diagnosis, disease surveillance, readiness and response actions to prevent further infections.” The WHO is also supplying Africa with the knowledge and tools necessary to conduct testing, provide medical treatment and manage infections. The organization is also providing guidance on “how to inform and educate the public about monkeypox and its risks and how to collaborate with communities to support disease control efforts.”
The Jynneos vaccine, approved for use by the United States FDA in 2019, is known to prevent serious and fatal cases of monkeypox. Jynneos is 85% effective at preventing monkeypox cases and is administered in two doses spread four weeks apart. The WHO is working to improve access to the Jynneos vaccine in more countries, including those in Africa. While the history of monkeypox in Africa is long, organizations are working to reverse the course of health inequity often visible during global health crises.
– Sara Sweitzer
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Mental Health in Mongolia
The State of Mental Health Care in Mongolia Today
From the minimal amount of data available on Mongolian mental health care, it is apparent that, as of 2017, Mongolia has a single mental hospital in Ulaan Baatar. WHO states that there is one “mental health outpatient facility attached to a hospital” but there is no or no reported “community-based or non-hospital mental health outpatient facility” and no or no reported “other outpatient facilities.” WHO also found that in 2017 the Mongolian government did not spend any of its total health budget on the mental health sector.
Furthermore, a 2005 study found that 90% of Mongolia’s mental health experts had been trained in the 1970s and 1980s and lacked the “knowledge, attitude and skills required for community-based mental health care.” This poses a dangerous situation for all Mongolians in need of care, particularly those for whom access to mental health care can be a matter of life or death.
In 2015, suicide stood as the cause of about a quarter of deaths among adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19. Even more alarming is the fact that “according to the 2013 Global School-based Student Health Survey, 32.1[%]of girls between the ages of 16 and 17 had seriously considered suicide and 11.6[%] had attempted suicide within the last year.”
Furthermore, although mental health services for the youth are few, a 2017 study reported a high prevalence of mental health issues among Mongolian adolescents, standing at 43%.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates existing issues, taking a significant toll on the physical and mental health of Mongolians. The pandemic has placed immense pressure on the “relatively young and inexperienced health care professionals” in Mongolia, obliging them to take on “continuous and long work hours.” This has led to health care workers exhibiting signs of mental afflictions.
Efforts to Help
Without easy access to proper mental health care, much of the population remains at risk of suffering from mental illness. However, with much research emphasizing the importance of community in fostering positive mental well-being, Mongolia has introduced community-based services across the country.
One example of this is the WHO and SOROS Foundation-funded ‘Ger’ project, in which project partners set up portable Mongolian roundhouses called ‘gers’ across rural areas as community-based day centers staffed by general health care. Established in 2000, the project provided “people with chronic mental illnesses with the opportunity to increase their social and living skills” through psychosocial rehabilitation. The ‘Ger’ project saw success – from 2002-2007, the relapse of mental illnesses of ‘Ger’ project patients reduced by 95%. However, despite its success, the ‘Ger’ is not currently running.
UNICEF Mongolia launched a virtual campaign to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce stress and anxiety in communities. Launched in 2021 and lasting 10 days, around 400 youth volunteers received mental health training from psychologists and professionals, including guidance on self-help techniques. The volunteers then had to “create support groups among their communities and peers” and “provide information and knowledge on mental health to their support groups” while putting into practice the self-help techniques. Named “From Awareness to Action; let’s keep our mind healthy!”, the campaign helped participants to “reduce their stress and anxiety” through group support.
Looking Ahead
With comprehensive and concrete mental health care services few and far between, the Mongolian government may need to take more significant steps in order to support the mental well-being of its citizens. Recent projects show that when organizations prioritize community services and mobilize the youth to spread awareness of self-care, mental health in Mongolia has great potential for improvement.
– Imogen Scott
Photo: Unsplash
Improving Haitian Children’s Quality of Life
Haitian Gang Violence
The capital of the island, Port-au-Prince, suffers from gang violence at the cost of its children. Most recently, since April 24, 2022, violence from warring gangs has led to the displacement of close to 17,000 people and the deaths of 188 people at minimum, as of June 3, 2022. Displaced Haitians have sought refuge in schools converted into shelters while others fled to the north of the city, causing massive travel problems. In May 2022 alone, Port-au-Prince noted 200 random-based kidnappings.
The prevalence of gangs and the violence that follows is often a product of areas suffering from poverty — Haiti is one of the most impoverished countries in the world, with a GDP per capita of $2,925 in 2020. Furthermore, Haiti ranks 170 out of 189 countries on the 2020 United Nations Human Development Index. Haiti’s Human Capital Index indicates that “a child born today in Haiti will grow up to be only 45[%]as productive as they could be if he or she had enjoyed full access to quality education and health care.”
In these circumstances, gang life can become a way to survive and make money when there are limited opportunities to forge another way of life and secure a brighter future. Gang membership provides protection in the dangerous environments that Haitian children are forced to grow up in, and soon enough, gangsterism becomes a generational occupation. In Haiti, particularly, gangs hold significant power. With no real army or strong police force, there is little hope of stopping large gangs who are better equipped than the small government forces trying to protect the 11 million people who live on the island.
Mortality and Health of Children
Widespread gang violence leads to the deaths of countless civilians, including children. But, Haiti also has infantile, child and maternal mortality rates higher than anywhere else in the Western Hemisphere. In fact, these rates are more comparable to Afghanistan and many African nations.
Like so many other places suffering from poverty, this is due to a lack of funding for the health care sector. In 2020, Haiti’s under-5 mortality rate stood at 60.5% deaths per 1,000 live births. In numbers, this equates to 16,214 deaths for children under 5.
Poverty raises the likelihood of premature death for Haitian children as impoverished households tend to lack the resources or access to services necessary for the proper health and well-being of a young child. Families dealing with poverty often experience malnutrition and several illnesses that can turn fatal as many impoverished families cannot afford the costs of health care and medicine.
Poverty in Haiti does not just affect its citizens, but also the medical facilities. Underfunding means the health care system lacks “adequate staffing, supplies and infrastructure” necessary to aid the nation’s people.
Together for Haiti Assists
Together for Haiti works toward providing resources to impoverished Haitian families so that they may secure a brighter future. The organization’s leader, Jean Alix Paul, has established four schools, two children’s homes and one human trafficking shelter, among many other initiatives. The organization focuses on spiritual development, educational development, economic development and physical development to create a better quality of life for impoverished Haitians, especially the nation’s most vulnerable children.
Through its focus on education, Together for Haiti provides schooling to about 2,000 children with four schools situated in four disadvantaged Haitian communities. Together for Haiti also provides teacher training, university bursaries and vocational training. The organization aims to strengthen Haiti’s economy by offering micro-loans, helping people create businesses and providing training on improved farming practices.
The efforts of Together for Haiti, and other organizations with similar goals, are improving Haitian children’s quality of life, giving them hope for a brighter tomorrow.
– Kelsey Jensen
Photo: Flickr
UNDP’s Efforts to Rebuild the Homs Yeast Factory
This story is more inspiring when looking at the mechanical details of the Homs yeast factory before and after UNDP’s intervention. Before UNDP’s intervention, the yeast factory in Homs produced “only six to 10 tonnes of yeast” every day. This is 5% to 9% of the amount before the war started. But with the intervention, the UNDP is aiming to have the Homs factory produce “24 tonnes of yeast daily” to give to the bakeries in Syria so they can bake and sell bread to Syrians. This is an ambitious goal to achieve especially since the quality of life in Syria has deteriorated sharply in the 12 years since the war started.
Current Poverty Rate and Food Insecurity in Syria
The war in Syria has devastated the lives of ordinary Syrians with the poverty rate increasing and food insecurity worsening. This makes UNDP’s heroic efforts to rebuild the Homs yeast factory more uplifting. The number of Syrians living in poverty has reached nearly 90% of the population in the whole country as of June 1, 2022, according to a press release published on ReliefWeb.
Furthermore, as of June 1, 2022, the percentage of the population struggling with food insecurity is at a “historic highs with an estimated 60%.” Therefore, the UNDP is facing many obstacles in tackling food insecurity in Syria by rebuilding the Homs factory, which requires sophisticated solutions. Nevertheless, the UNDP has the necessary strategies to successfully reconstruct the Homs factory so it can feed more Syrians just like before the war started.
How the UNDP is Rebuilding the Homs Yeast Factory
UNDP’s heroic efforts to rebuild the Homs yeast factory are possible because of the meticulous plan the UNDP formulated within the Syria Humanitarian Response Plan. Technical assessments conducted by the UNDP on June 1, 2022, show that nearly $1 million is needed in order to reconstruct the Homs yeast factory.
UNDP is planning to allocate 80% of the $1 million to “the technical rehabilitation of yeast processing,” according to U.N. News. Twenty percent of that $1 million UNDP plans to spend on “packaging equipment, factory safety and hygiene standards.” The UNDP plan’s intended goal is to be able to feed 3 million more Syrians who cannot afford bread currently.
Nationwide Efforts to Distribute Bread to Syrians
Reducing poverty and food insecurity in Syria is not strictly dependent on UNDP’s heroic efforts to rebuild the Homs yeast factory. The interim government in Syria announced on May 19, 2022, that it “prohibited the export or transport of any of the strategic crops,” such as wheat. The reason is that prohibiting exports of wheat and other strategic crops would “achieve food security in the liberated areas.”
Furthermore, on June 13, 2022, the interim government in Syria has also been “working on a plan to purchase large quantities of grains,” from Syrian local farmers. That way, the interim government can “boost stocks needed to produce bread,” Al-Monitor reported. The efforts of the interim government, if successful, are complementary to UNDP’s work on rebuilding the Homs yeast factory which produces materials necessary for making bread.
Looking Ahead
UNDP’s energetic efforts to rebuild the Homs yeast factory highlight an international determination to help Syrians. It is commonly heard that the world is forgetting about Syria because of the longevity of the war. However, the UNDP’s hard work, planning and investment in rebuilding the factory shows that the world has not only not forgotten about Syrians, but is coming up with clever solutions to save them. International relations analysts usually ask whether the U.N. has lost its credibility because of its inability to end the Syrian war. The UNDP story proves that the U.N. is still credible and capable of saving lives despite the odds.
– Abdullah Dowaihy
Photo: Flickr