Archive for category: Disease

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Ghana Health Service Partnerships to Fight Disease in Ghana

Ghana
In recent years, researchers, doctors and health organizations have begun to target the high rate of pneumonia deaths. As one of the largest causes of death in children, pneumonia and researchers’ search for its solutions have not been taken lightly. The Ghana Health Service and partner GAVI, supported by UNICEF, launched vaccines to combat the infection in 2012.

What is Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is a bacterial, fungal or viral infection of the air-sacs in one’s lung or lungs, usually caused by the inhalation of specific or diseased germs. The infection causes fluid build up in the lungs, difficulty breathing, high fever, sweating, chills, chest pain and discoloration of fingertips. The best way to treat this infection is through immunizations and antibiotics.

Historically, pneumonia has been the leading cause of death in those under-five years old. Steps have occurred to decrease death rates from year-to-year, but yet unfortuantely, the number of deaths and the percentage of children lost to pneumonia is still staggering.

What Are the Impacts of Pneumonia?

In the year 2010 alone, pneumonia caused the deaths of 16,200 children, and the total number of deaths brought about because of pneumonia was a reported 13 percent. Subsequently, this percentage remained consistent between the years 2000 and 2010, and the percentage of deaths at the hands of this infection remained between twelve and thirteen percent, without substantial improvement.

Despite the decade-long absence of progress in pneumonia prevention and treatment, advancements have started taking place in more recent years. In April 2012, UNICEF supported the Ghana Health Service and partner GAVI, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations, in launching pneumonia and diarrhea vaccines and the first ever World Immunization Week. The introduction of these vaccines to Ghana was a monumental step towards decreasing fatalities.

Ghana Health Service and its Aid

Although the establishment of vaccinations was a large logistical undertaking — including increasing hospital refrigeration storage in all ten regions of Ghana — the children of the country have benefited greatly from such measures. Pneumonia, for the first time ever in 2013, was not the leading cause of death for those under-five, though it was still the second-largest cause. Consequently, the total percentage of pneumonia causing fatalities decreased by 44 percent by 2015.

The installation of the pneumonia vaccine to Ghana has helped combat the vast amount of children who are annually impacted by the infection; however, there is still much progress to be made. As of 2017, UNICEF worked diligently to decrease pneumonia cases through fighting poor sanitation and open defecation.

How to Create Sustainable Solutions

To combat such massive undertakings, the organization implemented latrines and water pumps to as many communities as possible. Many have poured great effort into this ‘war against pneumonia’ and the Ghana Health Service, but measures must increase for significant and permanent changes to be sustained.

– Lydia Lamm

Photo: Flickr

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Five Organizations Fighting HIV and AIDS

organizations fighting HIV and AIDSAs of 2016, more than 36 million people worldwide are living with HIV or AIDS. Though the incidence rate of HIV and AIDS has been decreasing since the late 1990s, UNAIDS’s goal of achieving an AIDS-free generation is still far off. These five organizations fighting HIV and AIDS are contributing to the success of HIV and AIDS prevention as well as helping to provide antiretroviral therapy (ART) and counseling for those affected.

 

Elton John AIDS Foundation

In the midst of the rapidly growing AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and ’90s, singer-songwriter Elton John founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) to provide much-needed financial support in the fight against HIV and AIDS. John believes he is lucky to have avoided the AIDS epidemic as a gay man who partook in extremely risky behavior in the 1980s, including drug abuse. “I should have contracted HIV in the 1980s and died in the 1990s, just like Freddie Mercury,” he said at the International AIDS Conference in 2012. “Every day I wonder, how did I survive?”

The EJAF aims to dismantle the stigma surrounding those with HIV and AIDS as well as provide financial support for HIV prevention and treatment around the world. The EJAF has two branches—one in the U.S. and one in the U.K.—and has been rated a four-star charity, the highest rating a nonprofit can achieve.

 

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Named the richest man in America for 24 years in a row, Bill Gates has been extremely philanthropic with his wealth. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has donated more than $41 billion since it was created. A large portion of those donations—approximately $4.6 billion—have gone toward global health initiatives, including HIV prevention and treatment. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has funneled money into improving the diagnosis and treatment of HIV, as well as toward the continued research involved in creating a vaccine to prevent HIV. It is one of the most well-known organizations fighting HIV and AIDS.

 

The Global Fund

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is a recipient of grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Those funds have been put toward providing ART to more than 11 million people and preventing the transmission of HIV through the womb from mother to child. Over four million HIV-positive women have received treatment to protect their babies during and after pregnancy.

The Global Fund also fights the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS and provides diverse prevention efforts in order to include children and women. These efforts continue to encourage people to seek preventative measures and treatment rather than avoiding it due to stigma.

 

Treatment Action Campaign

Africa has the highest burden of HIV and AIDS worldwide. The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), founded in 1998, focuses on South Africa and the prevention and treatment methods being employed there. UNAIDS director Dr. Peter Piot considers TAC to be “the smartest activist group of all, worldwide.”

TAC monitors hospitals, trains campaign members on the basic science of HIV and AIDS, and advocates for the right to access healthcare.

 

amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research

Created during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in 1985, amfAR has been a leader in AIDS research. Because of the homophobia surrounding HIV and AIDS in the ’80s, many organizations were unwilling to speak out in support of AIDS research. amfAR was established in order to raise private funds for AIDS research, educate the public and support those suffering from HIV and AIDS.

amfAR ultimately kickstarted research that led to the creation of ART. amfAR has also supported HIV prevention methods such as safe needle exchange and safe sex provisions.

Though the HIV and AIDS epidemic is far from over, these organizations fighting HIV and AIDS, as well as many others, are contributing to the health of current and future generations.

– Anna Sheps

Photo: Flickr

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Apple Product (RED) and the Fight Against AIDS

Product (RED)Apple is the world’s most valuable company and remains the most innovative company of 2018 according to the coveted Fast Company Magazine annual tally. Apple’s financial success began with the maturing of the iPod market in 2005. A year later, U2 frontman Bono worked with the then-CEO and founder Steve Jobs to launch a limited-edition iPod Product (RED).

Apple’s Product (RED) has raised more than $160 million. The contribution helps people affected by HIV in Ghana, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia. (RED) has raised more than $475 million, and Apple generated two-thirds of the total. Funds collected by Apple through Product (RED) support The Global Fund, an organization that has granted $4 billion to local medical experts in more than 140 countries.

The partnership between corporations and nonprofits spearheaded by (RED) has boosted innovation and investments in the race to find a cure for AIDS. Fifty percent of all profit collected through Apple Product (RED) goes to the fight against AIDS. With Apple leading the way since 2006, a myriad of other notable companies has joined the fight including Starbucks, Bank of America, Coca-Cola and Beats by Dre.

Apple created a dedicated online storefront that features limited edition red colored products. The most recent additions include Apple Watch, Beats by Dre, iPad Type Cover, iPod Touch and now Apple Pay purchases made via Bank of America cards donate one dollar for every purchase.

The ultimate goal of (RED) has been to eliminate the transmission of the AIDs virus from mothers to their babies using innovative medical techniques like antiretrovirals which are supplied to mothers to prevent HIV from growing and multiplying within their bodies. Additionally, the babies are given Nevirapine daily for about six weeks or more, based on individual circumstances. Typically, mothers who adhere to this regimen can reduce the risk of transmission to their unborn children down to five percent.

Apple is a behemoth that has enamored many people around the planet. With its support of Product (RED) not only does it increase funding, but it helps bring awareness to the issues faced by underdeveloped countries. Links to Product (RED) and The Global Fund are directly embedded into Apple’s online storefront, and annually on World AIDS day the company launches merchandising material in all of its physical stores including digital marketing on Apple.com and the Apple App Store.

Apple has historically always used unique methods to achieve goals, and during recent world events like the earthquakes that took place in Haiti and Japan, it leveraged its mega-customer base on iTunes and the App Store to collect donations ranging from five dollars to 200 dollars. Apple is The Global Fund’s most substantial corporate donor, and CEO Tim Cook has continued to make philanthropy a central aspect of his legacy at Apple.

Apple aims to continue to revolutionize the world with its products, while also helping nonprofits implement technology that betters the planet. Through campaigns like Product (RED) and its ability to connect at a deep level with its customers, Apple has more than achieved this goal.

– Hector Cruz

Photo: Flickr

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Major Efforts Toward Fighting the Cholera Crisis in Africa

cholera crisisThe Eastern and Southern countries in Africa face a serious cholera epidemic. This epidemic displays the lack of public sanitation as well as neglect from the government that many African countries face.

Cholera

Cholera is a diarrheal illness caused from an infection of the intestine with bacteria called vibriocholerae. The symptoms of the illness include: diarrhea, vomiting and leg cramps, and such loss of body fluid can lead to dehydration and sometimes shock. Oftentimes, death can occur within only hours without treatment.

Since the start of the New Year, there have been over 2,009 cases and 22 deaths in the countries in Africa facing the cholera crisis. Zambia, one of the countries in southern Africa, faced the worst of the epidemic, with more than 74 deaths since October of 2017. The main area where Zambia’s impacted with cholera is in their capital, Lusaka. The government banned street food from vendors in the capital to reduce the number of cases, but in return, caused violent protests from the vendors.

Cholera Causes

The government, along with the World Health Organization, states the cause of the cholera crisis is poor waste management and lack of personal hygiene. These factors cause the contamination of food and water, which in turn, can spark the epidemic.

To help with the cholera crisis, the government has sent in the army to control measures, clean the markets and unblock drains. An oral vaccine program was also launched with the goal of immunizing one million people, and since its implementation, the number of cholera cases have dropped.

Cholera Effects

The effects of the cholera crisis have not just been deadly, but also have forced public places to close. Many schools, churches and workspaces are deferred until they can contain the outbreak. This impediment puts citizen jobs, payment and education on hold.

The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests the prevention of cholera consists of clean water, sanitation and reminding communities of basic hygiene behaviors that includes hand washing with soap after using the bathroom, before eating or touching food.

The WHO also suggests there should be media regarding health education messages for these reminders, and the implementation of routine antibiotic and immunizations if available.

– Chloe Turner

Photo: Flickr

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Curbing Type Two Diabetes in the Marshall Islands

Curbing Diabetes in the Marshall Islands

In 2017, diabetes in the Marshall Islands had the highest prevalence worldwide, with nearly one-third of Marshallese adults suffering from the disease. The Marshall Islands is a country consisting of two archipelago island chains in the western Pacific with a population of about 75,000 people, two-thirds of whom live on the atolls of Majuro and Ebeye.

The majority of people with diabetes in the Marshall Islands, as with most other countries, have type two, which results from the body’s inefficient use of insulin. Common causes of type two diabetes include obesity and a lack of physical activity. According to a 2016 estimate, 53 percent of adults in the Marshall Islands are obese, the fourth highest percentage of in the world. Type two diabetes has reached epidemic levels in the Marshall Islands, and its increase is primarily attributed to poor dietary habits and low levels of physical activity.

Majuro has become increasingly dependent on imported food due to overpopulation. Domestic production supplies only 10 to 20 percent of all food calories consumed since local foods tend to be more expensive than imported foods and the quantity is insufficient to sustain the whole population. Of the food imported, fruits, vegetables and other healthy perishables are the most expensive.

The Marshallese diet is comprised primarily of imported, processed foods that are high in sugar. For example, typical breakfast foods include pancakes, fried doughnuts, ramen, coffeebread, rice and spam. Lunch and dinner usually feature white rice and fresh or canned meat.

Perhaps the greatest change to dietary practices required is a change in attitude. When it comes to food purchase and consumption, the Marshallese tend to value quantity and price over quality. However, results from a recent child development study confirming the link between poor nutrition and growth stunting in the Marshall Islands led the government to consider this issue in setting priorities for development programs and interventions. The study identified poor nutrition as the cause of growth stunting in 35 percent of children surveyed.

In the National Strategic Plan 2015 – 2017, the government addressed the need for both increased access to nutritious foods and the implementation of nutrition education programs in Marshallese schools. Also, in November of 2017, President of the Marshall Islands Hilda Heine met with the World Bank to discuss a long-term early childhood health project to improve childhood health status.

“We received a very enthusiastic response from the World Bank,” President Heine said.

Still, several challenges lie ahead for effective health reform in the Marshall Islands. But the current steps being taken to achieve better health outcomes have the potential to prevent and reduce the prevalence of diabetes in the Marshall Islands.

– Gabrielle Doran

Photo: Flickr

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Top 20 Countries with the Lowest Life Expectancy

countries with the lowest life expectancyThere are a lot of factors that contribute to a country’s life expectancy. Some of these contributing factors are economic conditions, diet, public health, access to medical care, wars, crime rate etc. Because of this, a lot of the countries on this list are African countries plagued by poverty.

According to the CIA’s World Factbook, these are the top 20 countries with the lowest life expectancy as of 2017.

  1. Chad – 50.6
  2. Guinea-Bissau – 51.6
  3. Afghanistan – 51.7
  4. Gabon – 52.1
  5. Swaziland – 52.1
  6. Zambia – 52.7
  7. Central African Republic – 52.8
  8. Somalia – 52.8
  9. Lesotho – 53
  10. Mozambique – 53.7
  11. Nigeria – 53.8
  12. Burkina Faso – 55.9
  13. Niger – 55.9
  14. Uganda – 55.9
  15. Sierra Leone – 58.6
  16. Cameroon – 59
  17. Cote d’Ivoire – 59
  18. Republic of the Congo – 59.8
  19. Zimbabwe – 59.8
  20. Angola – 60.2

The overwhelming majority of these countries are in sub-Saharan Africa. According to Africa Check, the top five causes of death in 2017 in Africa were lower respiratory tract infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrheal diseases, stroke and Ischemic heart disease. The major reasons for these causes of death are unsafe water, poor sanitation, insufficient hygiene, lack of resources and economic conditions. Living conditions dramatically affect life spans and are a major reason why these countries have the lowest life expectancy.

However, there has been a significant improvement in a lot of these countries and their life expectancy numbers. For example, Zimbabwe and Zambia’s longevity has increased by 38 percent since the year 2000. And, overall, of the 37 countries that have seen increases in their life expectancy numbers by more than 10 percent since 2000, 30 are in sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, not even one sub-Saharan country had its life expectancy fall between the years 2000-2014.

There is still a lot of progress that needs to be made in order for these countries with the lowest life expectancy to increase their numbers, but regardless, there has been a substantial improvement in these struggling countries.

– McCall Robison

Photo: Flickr

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Pneumonia Vaccine Saving Half a Million Lives

Pneumonia VaccineAccording to Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, within the last 10 years, the pneumonia vaccine has saved the lives of more than 500,000 children in developing countries. More than 109 million children have been given the PCV (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) with Gavi’s support.

Although the numbers have now reached 41 percent from 2015’s 35 percent of receiver rates, millions of children are still not receiving the pneumonia vaccine. This is an issue because the disease is both treatable and preventable, but remains the leading cause of death in children throughout the world.

The pneumococcal vaccination protects the body against different types of the pneumococcal bacteria itself. The pneumonia disease is most common in children, and therefore the CDC recommends that all children be vaccinated. Although there are many different types of pneumococcal bacteria, there are only two types of the vaccination itself. The first vaccination to fight pneumonia is called Prevnar 13. This vaccination protects against 13 different types of the pneumococcal bacteria. The second type, Pneumovax 23, protects against 23 different types of the bacteria. Although this vaccine can save lives and prevent the disease, children in developing countries are nine times more likely to get the disease than people in developed countries.

Normally, children in developing countries receive vaccinations 10 years after children in wealthy countries do, but with the Advance Market Commitment, funded by Italy, Canada, Russia, Norway and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, they were able to get the PCV vaccine as soon as a year after it was developed. The market legally binds commitment purchases of the vaccinations through preset terms. This concept has been around for a long time, but the Advanced Market Commitment’s tactics seem to be very effective. Gavi has reached 58 countries throughout Africa and Asia with their immunization programs. The continued push to immunize all children in developing countries will greatly affect these nations’ outcomes in the future.

– Chloe Turner

Photo: Flickr

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Plague in Madagascar Affects Thousands

Plague in Madagascar Affects ThousandsAn outbreak of the pneumonic plague is threatening citizens and affecting many areas of Madagascar, including the capital city, Antananarivo, which is heavily populated. The plague in Madagascar is serious and spreading quickly, and has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO), along with the Madagascar Ministry of Health, to initiate a public health response to the illness. Madagascar is also receiving help from other organizations throughout the world.

The WHO has reported 1,365 possible cases of the plague in Madagascar from the beginning of August to the end of October 2017. About eight percent of these cases have led to death.

Plague pneumonia is the most serious case of the plague disease, caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis, often found in rodents. The disease is easily spread: someone could become infected just by breathing in the bacteria after someone coughs, through touch, or by getting bitten by a plague-infected flea. Often times, swollen lymph nodes are the earliest symptom of the plague.

Forty of Madagascar’s 114 districts have reported cases of the pneumonic plague. The WHO reports that most of the deaths occurring from the plague are not in treatment centers. It is urging people to find a treatment center near them to prevent the spread of the plague. The WHO has provided medication and treatment to treat up to 5,000 people, protected 100,000 people who could have come in contact with the disease and have trained thousands of volunteers.

Not only does the plague pose a threat to individuals in terms of health, but it also affects socialization and education. The government has forbidden any public gatherings, as well as closed all of the schools at the risk of spreading the disease further. The airports in Madagascar are also taking measures to check temperatures and place medical teams to ensure those traveling are not taking it with them.

– Chloe Turner

Photo: Flickr

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Treating Cardiovascular Diseases in Impoverished Countries

Cardiovascular diseases cause a large number of deaths around the world. Unfortunately, treating cardiovascular diseases in impoverished countries can be difficult. In the African country Cameroon, there are only about 50 cardiologists for about 20 million people. The Cardiopad is an innovative technology that aims to alleviate this problem.

The location of doctors throughout Cameroon tends to disadvantage those who live in rural areas. In the villages around the suburbs, there are general practitioners who treat the villagers. A large number of these practitioners do not have a specialization, so they cannot do much beyond recommending patients go see a specialist if they believe they need one.

If a patient is experiencing chest pains or shows symptoms of a cardiovascular disease, they make an appointment to see a cardiologist in the city. Because there are so few cardiologists, it can take months before they are seen, and many will die before seeing a specialist.

Arthur Zang, the inventor of the Cardiopad, noticed this issue and set out to fix it. Zang understood that going to see a doctor from the Cameroon villages was difficult, so he invented a way to lessen the need to make a trip to the city. He created the Cardiopad, a tablet device with electrodes that can give a 97.5 percent accurate reading of the heart. Essentially, it is a mobile electrodiagram (ECG).

Although Zang provided general practitioners with the tools to perform a heart scan, they still do not have the proper training to interpret the scans themselves. The information gathered from the Cardiopad is actually sent to the national data center, and it is then received by the cardiologists in the city. Once the cardiologists receive the heart scan, they can interpret the results to see what kind of treatment is needed and can send treatment recommendations back to the general practitioner. The process that would ordinarily take many months can now be done within 20 minutes.

This is a phenomenal step forward for diagnosing and treating cardiovascular diseases in impoverished countries. Now, even in rural Cameroon, local practitioners can work with cardiologists and can properly diagnose and treat cardiovascular diseases.

Furthermore, the technology eases the economic burden of traveling and medical expenses for patients. The Cardiopad only costs $29 a year to use, compared to the staggering costs of going to see a specialist. In this way, the Cardiopad saves time and money for patients in need.

Treating cardiovascular diseases in impoverished countries has become much easier with the Cardiopad. It allows rural residents to get the proper diagnosis they may need in order to save their lives. The Cardiopad is being distributed in Cameroon, India, Gabon and Nepal, and more countries are sure to follow. The Cardiopad can potentially save millions of lives that would have been taken from cardiovascular diseases in impoverished countries.

– Daniel Borjas

Photo: Flickr

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Common Diseases in Portugal

Common Diseases in Portugal

Portugal has a population of 10.5 million as of 2016, and a mortality rate of 548.6 deaths per 100,000 people. The top ten most common diseases in Portugal in 2016 were ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, lower respiratory infections, COPD, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and stomach cancer.

The rates of ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes and stomach cancer have all gone down in recent years, though they still rank in the top ten. The top ten causes of disability in 2016 were low back and neck pain, sense organ diseases, depressive disorders, migraines, skin diseases, anxiety disorders, oral disorders, diabetes, falls and other musculoskeletal issues.

Broadly speaking, the deadliest diseases are cardiovascular diseases, cancer and neurological disorders.

Addiction: A Major Success Story

While Portugal has made strides in reducing the rates of the diseases described above, its biggest success has been in tackling addiction, particularly to heroin.

In the 1980s and 1990s, a major opioid epidemic made addiction one of the most common diseases in Portugal. By the mid-1990s, over one percent of Portugal’s population was addicted to heroin, and cocaine use was also prevalent.

To address this epidemic, Portugal took the opposite approach to other countries struggling with a similar epidemic, such as the United States. Whereas the U.S. cracked down on drug use and initiated a war on drugs, Portugal completely decriminalized all drugs, including heroin, in 2001. Dealing drugs was still illegal and punishable with jail time, but users caught with less than a 10-day supply of any drug were sent to mandatory medical treatment.

This system completely bypassed the legal system, treating addiction as a health issue instead of a crime. This approach led to a 75 percent reduction in drug cases and a 95 percent reduction in drug-related HIV infections. Deaths due to overdoses or drug-related infections in Portugal are currently five times lower than the average across the European Union.

A model for change?

While any radical change in policy must be considered in the context of each country’s current legal system and culture, aspects of Portugal’s approach to addiction constitute a model that could be successfully implemented across the world.

The basis of this model are outreach programs whose employees keep track of local drug users and encourage them to quit. If they accept, they provide them with free counseling and treatment and daily methadone to wean them off the opioids. If they refuse to quit at that time, then outreach workers hand out clean needles and condoms to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.

This model is also economically efficient. The U.S. currently spends approximately $10,000 per household to uphold its current drug policy, while Portugal currently spends $10 per citizen.

The most common diseases in Portugal are similar to those across the European Union. What makes Portugal stand out is its reaction to one particular disease: addiction. If Portugal brings this innovation to other realms of disease prevention, it could be poised to drastically lower its disease burden in the coming decades.

– Olivia Bradley

Photo: Flickr