Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Breakthroughs Preventing Mosquito-Spread Diseases

Mosquito-Spread DiseasesMosquito-spread diseases such as malaria and dengue fever have plagued tropical regions for centuries. Most recently, the Zika virus emerged as a high profile danger to those living below the poverty line. Both malaria and dengue fever have higher mortality rates than the Zika virus. However, Zika causes birth defects. As a result, it promises to leave lasting effects on generations to come.

Origin of Zika Virus

Scientists first discovered the Zika virus in Rhesus monkeys in Africa in 1947. In 1948, the virus made the jump to mosquitos, which would lead to the first reported case in humans by 1952. A rash is what characterizes the contraction of this virus. It also associates with Guillain-Barre syndrome and microcephaly in unborn children because of their increased risks.

How These Diseases Affect Global Poverty

The Zika virus made headlines in 2016 as it threatened the Olympics, though they were able to carry on. This press helped to demonstrate the power and danger posed by mosquito-spread diseases in countries like Brazil.

Zika is a disease of poverty, meaning that although the disease is preventable, prevention is often sequestered to wealthy regions. These regions can afford to take extensive preventative measures, such as the widespread dispersal of mosquito nets and extermination.

Brazil is on par with the global average GDP per capita. However, this nation and many others in South and Central America are also plagued with wealth disparity. This means that although some communities within Brazil can enforce preventive measures against Zika and malaria, many others cannot.

Zika, malaria and dengue fever spread through the bite of mosquitoes that are infected. These mosquitoes typically come from the Aedes species. Any humid areas with heavy rainfall are likely to attract mosquitoes and be at risk of these diseases. Communities that lack proper infrastructure are also likely to have large pools of standing water. This, coupled with the tendency to overcrowd in urban areas, has left the impoverished and working-class people of South America, Africa and Southwest Asia susceptible to these diseases. This is not simply a health issue, but a class issue as well.

The Good News

After years of research, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced another breakthrough in the prevention of mosquito-spread diseases in June 2020. To prevent such diseases, scientists have pioneered the Sterile Insect Technique. This method takes male mosquitoes and uses radiation to sterilize them. They are released into a wild population where they mate with female mosquitoes. Eventually failing to produce allows the diseases carrying species of mosquitoes to die off. This technique promises to reduce the percentage of disease-spreading mosquitoes over the course of several mosquito generations.

The major issue with the plan is dispersal. As the IAEA notes, mosquitoes have delicate legs and wings that can easily be crushed in mechanical transport. This means that the sterilized males need to be hand released. This drives the cost up, makes the process slower and relegates it only to areas within a walkable distance (IAEA, June 2020).

However, in June, the IAEA tested a new sort of drone that promises to change the game. This drone flies smooth and consistently enough to release the mosquitoes without damaging them. As a result, there can be a great reduction in the treatment cost. Now, a variety of environments would be able to use it. These methods will also be able to reduce the amount of pollution and pesticides associated with mosquito nets in communities all over the world.

 

– Allison Moss

Photo: Pixabay

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More Than A Trend: What Food Allergies in Germany Are Costing The Poor

Despite being a necessary precaution to avoiding life-threatening reactions, managing food allergies is still considerably more difficult for low-income families, according to researchers at the University of Waterloo. Although much progress has been made to increase awareness of food allergies, in Germany in particular, the high costs of allergen-free food products and medications leave Germany’s poor disproportionately affected by allergen-free food inaccessibility. With increases in both food sensitivities and poverty rates in recent years, Germany might encounter a growing issue of food inaccessibility — and it may not be the only country to do so.

Prevalence of Food Allergies in Germany

Globally, the prevalence of food allergies has been rising steadily over the past few decades, affecting nearly 10% of children in Australia and 2% of adults throughout Europe.

In Germany, a study conducted by the Environmental Medicine Commission of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) places the prevalence of food allergies in adults at 4.7%. While researchers note that there have been relatively no changes to the doctor-diagnosed prevalence of food allergies in Germany over the past 15 years, food sensitivities in Germany still remain higher than in most other European countries. Approximately 25.5% of adults were “sensitized” to at least one food in the RKI study, meaning that researchers detected IgE antibodies specific to at least one food allergen in their blood. That compares to a food sensitivity prevalence of only 11% of Spain’s population and 14% of the U.K.’s population.

Although researchers previously observed a greater prevalence of allergies in urban areas, research in Bavaria found that rural areas aren’t excluded from the allergy “epidemic” either. While several studies have associated living on farms with a decreased risk of food allergies in Germany, other research notes an increased prevalence of allergies (37.3%) in the Bavarian countryside as compared to the German national average (20.0%).

The Cost of Allergies

Such data suggests an increased demand for allergen-free foods in rural communities—a hard ask considering the disproportionate distribution of supermarkets. Although supermarkets and discounters are widely accessible by car throughout Germany, by foot their accessibility is considerably poorer in rural areas, especially for less mobile groups like the elderly.

Even if there are supermarkets nearby, however, that doesn’t mean they shelve allergen-free products. Despite the prevalence of food allergies in Germany, allergen-free food products are still considerably more expensive than their mainstream counterparts ($4.50 for a loaf of gluten-free bread compared to $2.50 for a whole grain loaf in the U.K.). The high costs of purchasing ingredient substitutes, preventing cross-contamination and ensuring compliance with strict government regulations contribute to these costs, according to BBC.

Like allergen-free food products, potentially life-saving diagnostics and medications remain a large expense for those with food allergies in Germany and across Europe. Between hospital visits, allergy treatments and travel costs, researchers at the University of Finland concluded that families with a child between 1-2 years of age spend an average of $3,600 on managing their child’s food allergy.

The high costs of allergen-free foods and treatments as well as the lack of accessibility to supermarkets, are not favorable for the food security of Germany’s poor. With 15.5% of the German population currently living in poverty, inaccessibility to expensive allergen-free products may become a more severe problem. However, across Germany, nonprofits and government agencies are taking action to tackle allergen-free food inaccessibility from as many angles as possible.

Increasing Supply of Allergen-Free Food Products

As a result of the increasing demand of allergen-free products (a robust 20% increase over the past 12 months in the case of EHL Ingredients), German food manufacturers are accelerating production of their “free-from” lines. In 2008, for example, only 6.4% of dairy products were lactose-free; by 2013, that number had nearly doubled to 12.1%.

However, nonprofits aren’t simply waiting for the increased demand for allergen-free foods to take down towering prices. Many, like the German Celiac Society (DZG), are also actively intervening to ensure accessibility to gluten-free foods for those with food allergies in Germany.

“Gluten-free food in Germany tend to be twice as expensive as gluten-containing food,” says Michael Mikolajczak, the DZG’s press office representative. “The DZG is talking to politicians about tax-free allowance for people with celiac disease in order to achieve financial compensation.”

Although Larissa Nitz, member of the DZG’s youth committee, said that such tax relief initiatives never were quite successful, both she and Mikolajczak point towards Germany’s strong welfare system as a source of financial assistance for those managing food allergies in Germany.

Accessibility of Food Banks

When it comes to supermarket accessibility, the norm of “buying local” combined with the high prevalence of food banks makes the long distance to supermarkets a less acute issue for those with food allergies in Germany. In fact, according to a 2015 paper examining the German food bank system, only 6.69% of all residents and 5.75% of all welfare recipients lacked access to at least one food bank in their district.

While the researchers did not examine whether these food banks offer allergen-free food products, they did mention that a majority of food donations (82.29%) were supplied by regular donors, most notably retailers. According to Nitz, this may be a reason for hope. As manufacturers of allergen-free food products experience heightened demand, their increased supply of products might allow them to lower prices, and perhaps even contribute more frequently to food bank donations. Food banks, in turn, might be able to contribute more frequently to schools, where the availability of gluten-free food options is oftentimes widely variable.

“In terms of lunch at universities and in-office canteens for those youths who already work, the experiences are very different,” said Nitz. “A concrete initiative we have as the youth committee, is that we on a yearly basis request the possibility of gluten-free breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as features like an exclusive toaster for gluten-free use only from German youth hostels.”

Physician Training and Health Insurance

National health insurance and increased allergy awareness have helped ensure more equitable access to treatments. Physician knowledge of food allergies in Germany is continuously enhanced by the research-based training of the Comprehensive Allergy Center Charite (CACC) in Berlin. The cost of doctor’s visits, on the other hand, are eased by the universal health insurance provided under German’s statutory healthcare system, to which 85% of Germany’s population have access as of 2014.

Allergen-free food accessibility has improved in accordance with increases in food allergies in Germany, as well as poverty rates. Allergy medications and allergen-free food products remain expensive. However, increased product demand combined with food banks and a national healthcare plan all point towards progress in the fight for global food security.

– Petra Dujmic
Photo: Pixabay

How Organizations Are Reducing Hunger in Zambia

Due to climate change and unusual weather patterns, Zambia is experiencing a record-breaking drought, resulting in increased hunger in Zambia. Zambia, which is located in South-Central Africa, has one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. Only 52 percent of Zambians eat the minimum amount of calories daily.

Drought

In 2019, Zambia had the lowest rainfall in the southern and western regions since 1981. This drought, which continues today, left 2.3 million people at the brink of starvation. Forty-four percent of the western province population is in a “crisis phase,” meaning they are suffering from constant hunger and malnutrition, which in turn leads to economic uncertainty, illness, and higher mortality rates. The 2019 drought left crops unable to grow, which led to influxes in market prices, thus affecting people outside of the drought-hit regions. In November of 2019, the average price of maize was 90 percent higher than it was in 2018. Farmers were also unable to grow food for their livestock, which led to a shortage of meat.

Malnutrition

In times of hunger, children are often affected the most, as their bodies need consistently nutritious food in high quantities in order to grow. The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that more than 50 percent of Zambian children aged five or younger have an iron deficiency, and 35 percent of children aged five or younger are stunted due to malnutrition. The United Nations also warns against “hidden hunger,” which occurs when a child eats a sufficient number of meals each day, but the meals lack the necessary nutrients and vitamins. As a result of the economic uncertainty and strain caused by nation-wide hunger, schools in Zambia have reported an increase in dropout rates, especially among girls.

Reducing Hunger

In 2006, the Zambian Government agreed to invest in the Maize Meal Fortification Programme, which puts vitamin A, iron and other nutrients into maize, one of Zambia’s food staples. With the help of multiple national food organizations, the government invested the equivalent of $2.4 million into fortifying maize with necessary nutrients. The Maize Meal Fortification Programme helps combat the “hidden hunger” that many Zambian children face.

Data shows that fortifying foods with iron, A and B vitamins, folic acid and zinc “make a big difference to health and that deaths and illnesses, especially among children under five years and women in reproductive age, would significantly be reduced,” said the Zambia Minister of Health Honor S.T. Masebo.

In the past decade, the WFP has also worked with the Zambian government to support small, local farms. Maize is the country’s staple food, but it is sensitive to weather conditions. The WFP advocates for farmers to grow crops that can survive droughts and helps farmers with savings and credits to buy seeds and equipment. The organization also provides education about the best times to plant certain crops and how to harvest them efficiently, and helps smallholder farms evolve into business farms.

While malnutrition and hunger still affect many people living in Zambia, positive changes are being made. The government, along with other organizations, is working to help improve the nutrients in maize, and the WFP is working to help farmers protect their crops from varying weather conditions. This will help children facing hidden hunger while also preventing hunger caused by the loss of crops during the drought.

– Anya Chung
Photo: Wikimedia

The impact of Foreign Aid on Healthcare in Libya

Healthcare in Libya
Libya is a country in North Africa that has been ravaged by an escalating civil war since 2014. This war has led to the collapse of infrastructure in many different sectors. Healthcare in Libya is one of the areas that has suffered most because of the armed conflict — and the problem has only been exacerbated by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The Context

Adequate healthcare in Libya has been scarce since the current civil war broke out. Libya’s healthcare system, according to the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), was already fragile before the unrest, and has only worsened because of the rise in both civil disobedience and military crossfire. Hospitals and other essential medical facilities have been destroyed, including the Al-Khadra General hospital in Tripoli. This had led to deaths and permanent structural damage that an under-resourced system cannot afford to fix.

Despite calls for peace, shelling, ground assaults and aerial attacks continue to devastate civilian infrastructures, resulting in water and electricity shortages for medical facilities and households alike. Healthcare workers and professionals are subject to threats on their life that force many into exile, contributing to the rising total of internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Libya. Access to essential facilities and services is increasingly limited due to road closures, delays at checkpoints and the palpable fear of sudden violent outbursts.

COVID-19 has only exacerbated citizens’ struggle for healthcare in Libya. While the coronavirus is relatively new to Libya — with 156 cases as of June 1 — the World Health Organization (WHO) identifies the country as being at-risk for a massive explosion in cases. The organization also speculates the number of confirmed cases is much lower than the actual number of infected persons, due to the following factors:

  • Limited testing capacity, with the only two operational testing labs located in Tripoli and Benghazi
  • Failure to implement an effective system of contact tracing, which has proven to be one of the best ways to streamline the tracking of infected persons
  • Cultural stigma against seeking medical aid
  • Breaches in widespread communication and an over-saturation of manipulative media
  • A shrinking number of open medical facilities due to a lack of training and technique among doctors
  • Lack of available treatments and staffing, heightening the challenge for medical facilities that have remained open
  • Displaced individuals, including refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, are more endangered and have lower accessibility to healthcare

Organizations Making a Difference

Libya relies heavily on foreign assistance to help quell its large-scale humanitarian crisis — one that threatens to become worse because of COVID-19. Several organizations are currently supporting healthcare in Libya. First, International Medical Corps (IMC) operates six mobile medical units that serve IDPs around large urban centers. The Corps also offers specialist training in reproductive health to medical professionals, provides mental health support for Libyan medical personnel and established a women’s and girls’ safe space. In 2019, IMC distributed more than 20,000 health consultations to displaced groups, trained 33 local staff members and reached more than 1,200 individuals during awareness sessions.

Another group, Medecins Sans Frontieres, deployed teams that operate within two regions of Libya: one in Tripoli and one in Misrata and the Central Region. The Tripoli team sends medical and humanitarian assistance to the local detention center and to migrants and refugees dispersed throughout surrounding urban communities. The team also conducts training seminars on infectious disease prevention and control in local medical facilities. Meanwhile, the Misrata and Central Region teams administer basic healthcare and psychosocial support, provide nutrition supplements and hygiene kits to detained people and offer primary healthcare and referral services to migrants who have survived captivity and trafficking — in addition to other services.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is also working to improve access to healthcare in Libya. The WHO provides resources to combat leishmaniasis, distribute medical supplies to more than 40 primary health care centers and referral hospitals and train medical professionals to control and prevent deadly diseases. The organization budgets nearly $30 million to treating and regulating both communicable and non-communicable diseases. It promotes health through education, funding corporate services, maintaining an emergency reserve and developing humanitarian response plans.

The financial contributions and services these organizations provide are vital for the state of healthcare in Libya. Many of the strategies and systems in place have been making a positive change. However, greater financial backing is necessary if Libya is to fully extinguish its deficiencies in healthcare. The United States has spent $16 million on aid to Libya, but statements on exactly which organizations the aid is being funneled to have been vague. Aid focused directly on strengthening Libya’s healthcare system by providing sufficient medical supplies, staff and training could mean the difference between life and death for many Libyan civilians.

– Camden Gilreath
Photo: Flickr

The Life of Syrian Refugees in Jordan

Syrian Refugees in Jordan
Recently, the Syrian War has caused a large influx of refugees to make their way to Jordan. Since the start of the conflict, Jordan has seen an increase of about 1.3 million Syrian refugees. Of these Syrian refugees in Jordan, about 17% live in dangerous conditions within displacement camps. The other 83% may also face extreme levels of poverty and often cannot establish a livelihood to feed their families.

Hunger Reduction for Syrian Refugees in Jordan

Hunger is particularly an issue for Syrian refugees who live in Jordanian camps. In comparison, hunger for average Jordanians is relatively minimal. The World Food Programme (WFP)’s Integrated Context Analysis (ICA) demonstrates the differences in hunger throughout the area. The WFP’s ICA is a map that includes analysis of which populations are most vulnerable and food insecure. The population of Syrian refugees in Jordan is currently the most desperate in terms of need and food insecurity.

This ICA can help through the identification of broad national programmatic strategies, which can consist of resilience strengthening, disaster risk mitigation and implementing social protections. ICAs can also identify sectors wherein food security monitoring and assessment are necessary. The ICA categorizes the country’s districts into categories that it labels one through five, representing which areas face the most critical food insecurity needs. On the map, the Syrian refugee camps on the border of Jordan showed the most severe essential food security issues.

Syrian Refugee Displacement Camps

Displacement camps for Syrian refugees exist at the edge of Jordan and Syria. Salah Daraghmeh, the Médecins Sans Frontières representative for Syrian refugees, commented on their high risk. He stated that Syrian refugees who have escaped death from conflict and war, become more at risk of dying from preventable conditions, like dehydration and illness, during the process of resettling in Jordan. Refugees at the border of Jordan often sleep in the desert, where they have limited access to food, water and medical supplies. Additionally, refugees use holes in the ground as toilets and have to live in makeshift tents. Refugees frequently die from dehydration, scorpion stings and drinking contaminated water.

Organizations Helping Syrian Refugees

Action Against Hunger is one organization that has taken a stand to end hunger for Syrian refugees in Jordan.  The most urgent need for these refugees is providing access to livelihoods in Jordan, which should enable them to feed their families. Action Against Hunger was able to open a base in December 2019 in Madaba, Jordan. This base provides water, hygiene, food, sanitation and potential livelihoods for Syrian refugees. It also offers waste management programs and “Cash for Work” to enhance the lives of Syrian refugees.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) also does valuable work in Jordan. The IRC focuses primarily on health care, mobile outreach and empowerment/employment programs. On a practical level, it offers skill training, counseling, recreational activities, cash assistance and employment opportunities. The IRC’s goals for 2020 include improving refugee’s health, safety, education and economic well-being. Its action plan for 2020 includes focusing on these goals by providing direct aid. The IRC’s mission is to grant assistance to those whose livelihoods disaster and conflict have ruined so that they may survive, recover and become independent again. Its efforts are particularly significant in repairing the lives of Syrian refugees, who have suffered immensely.

After fleeing life in Syria, refugees face additional struggles while living in Jordan. From food scarcity, dangerous conditions and difficulties adapting to Jordanian life, Syrian refugees have to combat many issues even after leaving their war-torn country. To help overcome these problems, the Jordanian government has partnered with Action Against Hunger and the International Rescue Committee. These organizations seek to provide a resilience-based approach to help Syrian refugees in Jordan.

– Hannah Bratton
Photo: Flickr

How Health Tourism in Croatia Benefits the Economy

Health tourism in CroatiaWith over 1,000 islands and 3,600 miles of coastline, Croatia is the perfect tourist getaway. After facing devastating wars, Croatia has turned to tourism to boost its economy. Croatia’s beaches and national parks have become notable tourist attractions. In fact, 19.6% of the country’s GDP depends on tourism. The combination of its magnificent landscape and suitable healthcare has resulted in the emergence of a new type of travel in the Balkans: health tourism in Croatia.

Poverty in Croatia

The Yugoslav Wars resulted in freedom for the former states of the Yugoslavia Republic; Croatia gained its independence in 1991. The war affected the regions along the country’s borders of Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Unable to recover from the war, these regions became highly impoverished. 

In 2013 Croatia joined the European Union. While the EU typically has 8% unemployment, Croatia’s unemployment rates are much higher, reaching 15.4%. The cost of living in Croatia is higher than in other Eastern European countries, making it more difficult for those in poverty to afford what they need. To provide relief, the country has implemented its “Strategy for Combating Poverty and Social Inclusion in the Republic of Croatia.” This plan’s purpose is to improve the condition of vulnerable groups and help those that are socially excluded by offering more opportunity.

Health Tourism in Croatia

As Europeans grow frustrated with healthcare in their home countries, they travel to other countries to access medical care. This innovative and growing trend has promoted the rise of health tourism in Croatia. Market Research Future (MRFR) projects that the global medical tourism market will grow 21.4% a year for the next five years. The reasons health tourism has grown in Croatia include:

  • The health care system appeals to patients as it is both affordable and reputable. Obtaining surgeries in Croatia often costs less compared to receiving that same treatment in visitors’ home countries. Additionally, EU citizens can use their EU health insurance in Croatia.
  • The use of the internet and social media encourages travelers to visit attractive destinations like Croatia. Websites promote healthcare options while emphasizing the popular vacation spots in the area.
  • Technological advancements continue in the health care system. The quality of medical specialties in Croatia constantly progresses and ensures excellence.

The main concentration of health tourism in Croatia involves medical surgeries and wellness. Croatia specializes in popular medical procedures including plastic surgery, orthopedics and dentistry. Spa tourism encourages travelers to relax in the therapeutic resort town of Opatija. Tourists can explore the country while getting procedures all in one trip.

Future of Health Tourism

The same conflict that led to Croatia’s independence also brought about poverty and unemployment that continues to impact Croatians. In order to improve its economy, Croatia focused on tourism and created a strategy to combat poverty. Now, the country’s beautiful coastlines have become trendy destinations and health tourism in Croatia captivates vacationers. Improvements in healthcare have resulted in more Europeans flocking to Croatia for medical surgeries and therapeutic resort towns. Almost 10% of tourists visit Croatia for its healthcare, and that number is expected to grow. As the demand for health tourism in Croatia increases, this new industry can generate future economic benefits.

– Hannah Nelson
Photo: Pixabay

How HeroRATs Are Saving Lives

How HeroRATS Are Saving LivesThere is a new solution to saving lives in countries with high rates of tuberculosis and the presence of landmines: rats. A nonprofit organization called APOPO is training these so-called HeroRATs to use their sense of smell and detect both landmines and tuberculosis. These African giant pouched rats receive training in Tanzania and Mozambique and then deploy across sub-Saharan Africa. The question is: why rats? HeroRATs are saving lives for a variety of reasons:

  • A strong sense of smell
  • Easily trainable and very intelligent
  • Impervious to most tropical diseases
  • Do not have the weight to cause landmines to go off
  • Cost-efficient to take care of
  • A lifespan of 6-8 years

Tuberculosis Detection

Tuberculosis is the world’s deadliest infectious disease. In many developing countries, the diagnosis method of smear microscopy is only 20-60% accurate, meaning that about half of the people with TB go undiagnosed. While the GeneXpert test is more accurate, it costs $17,000 for each device. HeroRATs are saving lives by rechecking human tested sputum samples. APOPO’s lab then rechecks the samples that the rats identify as positive.

APOPO says that these brave rodents increase clinic detection rates by 40%. A rat can go through 50 samples in just eight minutes. Incredibly, a rat can evaluate more samples in 10 minutes than a lab technician can in a whole day. This is all thanks to their intensive, nine-month training that utilizes operative conditioning; the rats learn to associate the smell of TB with a reward.

Landmine Detection

Not only do HeroRATs save lives by smelling tuberculosis in sputum, but they also receive the training to clear hazardous fields by sniffing dangerous explosives underground. Hidden landmines and bombs still endanger lives in 59 countries. The rats undergo training to associate the smell of the explosives with the sound of a click and a reward. Rather than metal detectors which detect scrap metal as well, HeroRATs can identify the actual scent of the explosives, leading to fewer false detections.

Since the landmines are “antipersonnel,” they target people through direct pressure or a wire. Fortunately, rats are too light to set these off. Since APOPO’s launch in 2006, the rats have cleared over 6 million square meters in Mozambique and uncovered 2,406 landmines and 992 bombs. It would take them only 30 minutes to check the area of a tennis court. In contrast, it would take a human deminer with a metal detector four days to do the same work.

Though rats may be unpopular, they are brilliant little heroes. Not only do landmines endanger lives, but they also hinder economic development in war-torn countries. Villages cannot access basic necessities like water and travel routes and cannot use the fertile land for farming. HeroRATs are saving lives, but they are improving livelihood as well.

It is possible they could be saving a different kind of life as well: that of pangolins. Pangolins are one of the world’s most poached animals. In Tanzania, HeroRATs are training to detect the scent of pangolin scales that smugglers transport into Asia. In the future, HeroRATs could also help limit smuggling and trafficking. These little heroes prove that innovation is not synonymous with technology; sometimes, even a rodent can save lives.

– Fiona Price
Photo: Flickr

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Childcare Reforms in Chile: What’s Being Done


Chile has made major strides in reducing national poverty, with 62% of the population holding a secure job. Social and educational policies have increased the number of mothers at work, with fewer people to take care of children. The need for childcare and afterschool programs in Chile has become a key focus for decreasing poverty rates in female-headed households. The government and nonprofit programs have stepped in to make crucial childcare reforms in Chile.

Poverty Trap For Female-Headed Households

Of the 49% of Chileans who were unemployed in 2011, a disproportionate amount were women. Female-headed households make up 51% of households below the poverty line. The tremendous obligation of Chilean women to raise their children is a full-time job. Many mothers are unable to seek employment because of a lack of childcare resources and services, increasing the rates of poverty in female-headed households

Chilean Education Reforms

In 2013, the Chilean government passed a law making kindergarten nationally accessible to all children. Previously parents had to pay to enroll their students in school at six years old. The law helped alleviate stress from many mothers and increased employment rates.

In efforts to equitize and optimize access for Chilean children to quality education, the government passed the Inclusion Law in 2015, making any for-profit ambition and action from government-funded schools illegal. The law had positive effects; a study conducted in 2017 showed that 85% of students in Chile were accepted to “one of their preferred schools.”

After the enactment of these two laws, public schools became an accessible form of childcare for struggling mothers. This allowed them time to seek employment. Parents can now send their children to their desired schools affordably and close to home.

Chile Grows With You Program

The youth support and care program Chile Grows With You was enacted in 2009 during the first female presidency of Michelle Bachelet. Chile Grows with You provides intersectional childcare, nutrition, health and hygiene services to help nurture Chilean children’s psychological development. The childcare programs and outlets fit various social and developmental needs of students.

Bachelet’s push for reform of past childcare services and policies is the reason why all Chilean children from ages zero to six are entitled to childcare and healthcare services, regardless of socioeconomic status or disability. Although the program is open to all, it specifically seeks to help families in the lowest socioeconomic bracket of Chile. This gives struggling, low-income families access to childcare, education and healthcare systems.

Chile Grows With You Childcare Reforms

Chile Grows With You guarantees free access to nursery school for children two to six years old and provides additional childcare hours as needed to full-time mothers and caregivers.

For children too young for nursery school (under two years old), the program provides free access to daycare centers for mothers or caregivers lacking the financial means to leave work to care for their infant.

Chilean children with disabilities are also protected under the program. President Bachelet increased access to healthcare and childcare services for children who show signs of mental and physical disabilities in their early youth.

A New Life For Chilean Mothers and Children

Since the implementation of Chile Grows With You, over 60% of families of the lowest socioeconomic status have been able to gain access to free childcare programs and services, directly impacting female-headed households by giving women more time to attain education and employment.

While poverty in Chile remains an issue, particularly in female-headed households, the government and Chile Grows With You are working to make a positive change. Chilean mothers raising young children have been able to take small steps, turning over major strides through Chile Grows With You; pulling themselves and their children out of poverty. Government-provided childcare programs and services are not only helpful for struggling parents — they are an inspiration for impoverished Chilean children.

– Nicolettea Daskaloudi
Photo: Flickr

What to Know about Healthcare in Gabon

Healthcare in Gabon
Gabon, a country of around 2 million people located in western Central Africa, shows how a universal healthcare system can succeed. The relatively recent improvement in healthcare in Gabon provides a roadmap for other countries. Furthermore, Gabon highlights which areas of healthcare could use improvement and how best to go about enhancing it.

The Good

Gabon’s national healthcare system, Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Maladie et de Garantie Sociale (CNAMGS), emerged in 2008. In its infancy, the program provided healthcare coverage to students, the poor and the elderly. Since then, it has extended coverage to public-sector workers in 2011 and private-sector workers in 2013. As early as 2011, 417,118 of the 546,125 eligible poor residents of Gabon signed up for the program.

Many typically consider healthcare in Gabon above-average for West Africa in both access and effectiveness. For instance, Gabon has a high healthcare center density and a below-average adult mortality rate from non-communicable diseases.

Gabon employs a novel and effective system to help finance its expansive healthcare coverage: levies on mobile phone companies and on money transfers outside of the country. This system is an incredible success, according to Dr. Inoua Aboubacar, a World Health Organization public health specialist located in Gabon. Overall resources for CNAMGS quadrupled from 2008 to 2011, increasing from 12.5 billion CFA to over 47 billion CFA (nearly $8.5 million). Around 17.5 billion CFA came from these levies.

Launched in 2010, the National Health Strategy now provides 100% covered maternal healthcare in Gabon. The program covers approximately 85% of healthcare costs in other areas as well. Out-of-pocket copays cover any additional costs. Nevertheless, maternal mortality rates remain worrisome, with 261 deaths per 100,000 live births as of 2015.

Universal healthcare was achieved in Gabon in only 10 years, quicker than developed countries such as South Korea, where it took 12 years.

What Needs Improvement

Healthcare in Gabon, while successful in many ways, lacks the national spending that it deserves. Healthcare spending only accounts for 3.44% of the country’s total GDP, which is the lower than Gabon’s neighbors of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo and Chad. Although Gabon has the classification of an upper-middle-income country, it still spends less on healthcare than many comparable countries.

HIV/AIDS is a major problem in Gabon. An estimated 3.8% of adults live with the disease in Gabon, which makes it the 14th worst affected country in the world. However, the effects of the disease are diminishing. In 2017, the Gabon Ministry of Health launched a program to raise awareness and understanding of HIV through various campaigns and events in high schools.

Out-of-pocket spending for the people of Gabon is still higher than ideal. In the country, one can attribute 21.87% of healthcare expenditures to out-of-pocket spending, which is higher than in most economically similar countries in the region.

Healthcare in Gabon is a success by most standards, especially in comparison with other countries in Africa. It is far from perfect, though, and improvements must continue in the future. Still, Gabon’s quick and targeted approach should be a model for other countries seeking to improve healthcare programs of their own.

– Evan Kuo
Photo: Department of Defense

 

How The Mobile Industry in Sub-Saharan Africa is Creating Millions of Jobs

Mobile Industry in Sub-Saharan Africa

There is no doubt that the most important factors in alleviating poverty are increasing access to safe drinking water, food security and healthcare. But there is another important piece to the puzzle: digital technology. Technology has the power to disrupt and transform a country’s economy while having a positive impact on citizens’ lives. One of the most important facets of the broad world of technology is the mobile economy. The mobile industry in sub-Saharan Africa is creating millions of jobs for the expanding workforce.

Barriers to Employment

Although Africa has experienced robust economic growth, it still faces a daunting challenge: creating enough decent jobs for a rapidly growing workforce. In sub-Saharan Africa, 60 percent of the jobs available are farming. With climate change intensifying and putting a strain on the agricultural sector, there is a desperate need for more secure jobs. The workforce is experiencing a “double burden.” Although more young people are completing tertiary education, the education system’s disconnect with the economic industries and requirements have created a skill gap. This has left young workers underqualified for positions that may open up but require them to invest in additional training. Additional training can be expensive and it doesn’t guarantee a job offer. The lack of available jobs also leaves the youth with little incentive to invest more in their education.

The Mobile Industry

Technology, particularly mobile devices, is rapidly transforming the world. It facilitates connectivity, allows easier access to emergency services and provides economic opportunities. The mobile industry in Sub-Saharan Africa continues to grow at an explosive rate. In 2012, only 32% of the population had a mobile subscription service. By 2018, 456 million people had a subscription, a 12% increase. It is expected that by 2025, half of the population will have a mobile subscription. Not only is the industry-transforming millions of people’s lives, but it has also positively affected sub-Saharan Africa’s economy. In 2018, the mobile economy and services contributed to $144 billion, or 8.6%, of the country’s GDP. It has also created millions of jobs. The mobile industry directly employed 1.9 million people and over 2.4 million people indirectly in 2018. The industry is on an upward trajectory and projects that in 2025 an additional 500,000 jobs will be available.

The Solution

Although the mobile industry in sub-Saharan Africa has generated millions of jobs and will continue to do so in the future, there are still major obstacles remaining. There still aren’t enough jobs to go around and there is a major skill gap in the workforce.

To continue the growth, it is critical that governments play an active role to support the mobile economy. Tax incentives can facilitate the adoption of technology among its citizens. It is also important that governments pass regulations to protect market competition. Increased competition in the market can lower the prices of the technology and lead to the creation of more jobs. The government also needs to ensure there is a reliable and affordable digital infrastructure in rural areas and invest in human capital through skills training.

– Jasmine Daniel
Photo: Flickr