Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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10 Facts About Refugees from Sao Tome and Principe

10 Facts About Refugees from Sao Tome and Principe
A Brief History

The islands of Sao Tome and Principe are some of the most remote and beautiful islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The island has a reputation of having a tropical climate usually associated with islands located in the South Pacific.

In recent history, Sao Tome and Principe struggled with government corruption and attempts at a coup d’etat of the government. February 12, 2009 marked the first attempt of a coup d’etat of the government. Although the plotters of the coup were imprisoned, many citizens of the nation still fear the potential for another political uprising. This fact has led to an increase of residents leaving the country which increased the number of refugees from Sao Tome and Principe.

Below are ten facts about refugees from Sao Tome and Principe.

  1. Within refugee camps, women refugees from Sao Tome and Principe deal with daily struggles of misogyny. This misogyny has led to many women believing that they should have fewer rights than men. In fact, seven percent of women who are refugees from these countries think a husband is justified in beating his wife when she argues with him, and 6.4 percent believe men have the right to beat women when they burn food they are cooking.
  2. Women also deal with misogyny by refusing to accept health care without a male bringing them to the hospital. Women refugees from these two countries have a 51.8 percent chance of not accessing health care without having a man take them to the doctors.
  3. Sexual contact begins early for women who are refugees from Sao Tome and Principe. The median age for women aged between 25-49 for their first sexual contact was only 17.1 years old on average.
  4. Condom use is not common for refugees from Sao Tome and Principe, and women between the ages of 15-24 have a 24.3 chance of using a condom regularly.
  5. Lack of condom use has led to many children being born refugees from Sao Tome and Principe. The number of infant deaths has risen in these camps to an average of 219 deaths.
  6. For the children that make it past birth, they continue to have relatively short lives — last year, 297 refugee children from Sao Tome and Principe died due to numerous causes.
  7. Refugee camps are dangerous for refugees from Sao Tome and Principe and the rate of dying from an injury has increased to 10.5 percent.
  8. The dangers of living in a refugee camp may be immense, but refugee camp health centers have ensured that vaccinations are commonplace. Child refugees from these two countries have a vaccination rate for BCG, DPT and measles at 97.7 percent, 96 percent and 95.2 percent accordingly.
  9. Although refugees from Sao Tome and Principe receive vaccinations, many continue to die from disease. Last year 19 migrants died from malaria.
  10. On top of death from disease, refugees from these countries continue to die from tobacco and alcohol use. The smoking prevalence for women rests currently at 1.51 percent and 9.27 percent for males. The total alcohol consumption per capita (measured in liters) was measured last year to be 6.8 liters for migrants over the age of 15.

The Takeaway

Even though Sao Tome and Principe possess all the natural resources it could even need and the support from the United Nations and NGOs, the nation still suffers from its citizens leaving to become migrants. Refugees from these countries suffer from misogyny, death by injury, disease and substance abuse.

However, understanding these facts can allow groups focused on helping these people create solutions for the future. Although the present may be grim for refugees from Sao Tome and Principe, their future continues to look bright.

– Nick Beauchamp

Photo: Flickr

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Three Interesting Causes of Poverty in Bulgaria

Poverty in BulgariaBulgaria is situated on the Black Sea, to the north of Turkey and Greece and to the south of Romania and Serbia. This country’s location on the Black Sea and on the Danube River provides a beautiful, picturesque landscape. Not as beautiful is the fact that Bulgaria has been named the most unhappy country in the EU.

It is no coincidence, then, that Bulgaria has some of the highest poverty rates in the EU. The most recent data from Eurostat reports that in 2015, about 41.3 percent of Bulgaria’s 7.4 million citizens were at risk of poverty or social exclusion – the highest percentage in the EU. Bulgaria also reported the highest rate of material deprivation in the EU, with 34.2 percent of the population being materially deprived. The elderly and children bear the highest risk for social exclusion and poverty in Bulgaria, at rates of 51.8 percent and 43.7 percent, respectively.

What drives poverty in Bulgaria? Here are three causes that should help shed some light on Bulgaria’s poverty rate, and why it is therefore rated such an unhappy country.

Corruption

Bulgaria has been perceived as the most corrupt country in the EU. The European Commission reported that tackling high-level corruption and organized crime are the biggest challenges in Bulgaria. There is a pervasive lack of autonomy and transparency in Bulgaria’s judicial system. Several political officers have been known to take bribes, which is a driving force in Bulgaria’s government and economy.

Corruption comes at a price for Bulgaria’s international relationships. In 2008, the European Commission temporarily suspended hundreds of millions of euros in EU aid to Bulgaria, over concerns of corruption and organized crime. Additionally, corruption is a barrier to doing business in Bulgaria. This barrier is problematic, as opportunity and access to international business and trade in Bulgaria could create more jobs and open up Bulgaria to receiving foreign aid.

When Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007, many Bulgarians hoped that EU membership would ameliorate the corruption in their government. Unfortunately, these problems in Bulgaria’s government still persist.

Pension

Bulgaria has the lowest average pension in Europe, at the equivalent of €160 a month; Bulgaria’s currency is the lev, which is €0.51. Most Bulgarians, however, receive less than the equivalent €160. In 2016, the majority of pensioners in Bulgaria – 60 percent – received the equivalent of €150, forcing them to live below the poverty line. One quarter of Bulgarian pensioners receive the minimum pension of the equivalent of €80 per month – the lowest in the EU. According to the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria, a Bulgarian would need to receive the equivalent of €290 per month to lead a “normal life”.

Transition out of Communism

Is it a possibility that the quality of life in Bulgaria was better during communism?

Bulgaria was not a member of the Soviet Union, but it was a satellite state under a communist regime. During the communist regime, Bulgarians received free healthcare, free higher education, maternity and disability benefits and pensions. Even the poorest Bulgarians, the Romas, had jobs, collected social security and enjoyed an acceptable standard of living.

After communism was abolished in Bulgaria, the U.S. encouraged a market economy and multi-party democracy. Since transitioning out of communism, however, Bulgaria has faced a corrupt government and stunning rates of poverty.

Despite a bleak outlook on poverty and on life in general in Bulgaria, there is hope. Bulgaria’s economy is largely dominated by the service sector, and not by the agriculture sector, as is common for countries facing high rates of poverty. Therefore, Bulgaria is already a step ahead in stabilizing its economy. Furthermore, Bulgaria’s memberships in international organizations such as the EU and Nato will help secure valuable foreign relations and trade partnerships. Ultimately, however, the key to tackling poverty in Bulgaria will lie in overcoming corruption, which requires a tremendous effort from Bulgaria.

– Christiana Lano

Photo: Pixabay

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Water Quality in New Zealand

Water Quality in New Zealand

A Brief Background
A series of battles between 1843 and 1872 took place between Britain and the Polynesian Maori living on the island of New Zealand. This culminated in a British victory, marking the beginning of the island’s involvement with Western history. The newly- founded colony gained independence from Britain in 1907. New Zealand then participated in numerous wars alongside Britain until modern day. Currently, the nation has a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Water Quality In New Zealand
The water quality in New Zealand is high when compared to other countries around the world. The rivers, lakes and wetlands provide the environment necessary for a wide variety of plants and animals to flourish. Rural areas today have seen no issues with the water quality.

The urban regions, however, suffer from having a substantially lower water quality when compared to the country’s more rural areas. In recent years, increased land use has caused its water to become increasingly polluted. Another reason for the increased land use concerns the nation’s agricultural sector. The beef and dairy industries in New Zealand have little regulation and companies involved often do not take efforts to ensure its waste does not contaminate local water supplies. This increased land use has disastrous implications for the aquatic life, drinking water supplies and water-based recreation in New Zealand’s economy.

As the water quality in New Zealand continues to decrease, so does the country’s available amount of sanitized drinking water. This negatively impacts the nation’s section of its economy that relies on fresh water.

The Plan For 2040
Prime Minister Bill English has created a new action plan to make 90 percent of the country’s waterways swimmable by 2040. The government hopes to accomplish this goal changing its water quality guidelines. Another method being implemented involves increasing subsidies to farms that are not polluting nearby water sources by $2 billion in the next 23 years.

Overall, the water quality in New Zealand is high in its rural regions; however, in more urban areas, increased land use and environmentally dangerous farming practices have reduced its water quality significantly. Nevertheless, the future looks bright for this country as long as the Prime Minister continues his action plan to improve the quality of water in New Zealand.

– Nick Beauchamp

Photo: Pixabay

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Four Common Diseases in Armenia

Common Diseases in ArmeniaThe Republic of Armenia is a mountainous, landlocked country between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea in the Southern Caucasus. It is densely populated, with more than three billion people. The country is known to battle several diseases and health risk factors. Below are four common diseases in Armenia and how the country is working to combat them.

Cardiovascular Diseases

Current data reveals cardiovascular diseases affect 50.5 percent of the population in Armenia. The majority of people affected by cardiovascular problems have ischemic heart disease, which affects 80 percent of males and females between 30 and 34 years of age. Between 1990 and 2013 alone, ischemic heart disease killed about 317 people out of every 100,000, and its mortality rate increased by 53 percent since 1990. Stroke is the second most common cardiovascular disease, which claimed 129 lives out of every 100,000 between 1990 and 2013. Hypertensive heart disease is the third most deadly cardiovascular disease, as its mortality rate has increased by 75 percent since 1990. These diseases make up 94.3 percent of all years of healthy life lost in Armenia in 2013. A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that at least 80 percent of cardiovascular risks like heart disease, stroke and diabetes could be prevented by eating healthy and exercising regularly, as more than 60 percent of both Armenia’s male and female populations were overweight as of 2015.

Cancers

The next most common illness in Armenia is cancer, specifically lung, breast, stomach, colon, liver, pancreatic, bladder and prostate cancers. A report from 2013 shows that 20.8 percent of deaths that year were from cancer in both males and females. The deadliest were lung, bronchial and tracheal cancer, which claimed the lives of 42.5 people out of every 100,000. Cancer made up almost one-third of deaths between 2000 and 2012. Fortunately, according to a WHO statistical report in 2012, the death rate for breast, colon and stomach cancers had decreased since 2000, each claiming less than two percent of lives. Because Armenia is a WHO European region – which designates at least $2,000 total expenditure on health per capita – continued funding for the health sector could rectify the problem of high rates of diagnosed cancers.

Tuberculosis

Another prevalent disease in Armenia is tuberculosis (TB). Data show that in 2015, about 1,104 total cases of TB were diagnosed. Most people diagnosed with TB also have HIV; when paired together these are more deadly than a TB diagnosis alone, as HIV causes a lowered immune system which can spread TB faster throughout the body. In 2015, all noted TB cases were in patients with HIV status, and 41 out of every 100,000 people who died were both TB and HIV positive. Despite these concerning numbers, Armenia is taking practical and effective steps in TB treatment and funding for the disease. More than 60 percent of HIV-positive TB patients received successful treatment between 2012 and 2014, and new and relapse cases of TB saw an approximate 80 percent treatment success rate. In 2015, about 14 percent of HIV-positive people were enrolled in TB preventative treatment. Further, Armenia is currently financed in 55 percent domestic and 45 percent international TB treatment as of 2016.

Influenza

In 2011, WHO European Region in partnership with Influenza Division International Activities released an annual report detailing Armenia’s implementation of influenza surveillance systems. The U.S. CDC noted that Armenia completed all five years of the Surveillance and Response to Pandemic and Avian Influenza agreement in order to combat rampant annual flu outbreaks in the country. Armenia achieved a number of goals under this agreement, including adding laboratory and diagnostic means of detecting active avian and human influenza, running sentinel surveillance of outbreaks, doing appropriate specimen testing during the influenza season and updating a small library with relevant scientific documents and participating in regional and international conferences and workshops. Influenza surveillance sites have been established in three hospitals in the capital city of Yerevan, and in five hospitals in the cities of Vanadzor and Kapan. As of 2011, all but one surveillance lab was completely functional, proving influenza prevention and treatment may be on its way to becoming more successful.

These common diseases in Armenia are clearly being met with much action and compassion from both inside the country and outside. With continued efforts to alleviate the burden of disease and educate the population, Armenia is headed in the right direction.

– Olivia Cyr

Photo: Flickr

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How Human Rights in Namibia Impact Schools and Children

Human Rights in NamibiaNamibia is a country on the coast of the southern tip of Africa, and since 1990, has gained independence from South Africa and established a representative democratic republic. Human rights in Namibia continue to be an issue for children seeking a safe education, as the nation has yet to commit to the Safe Schools Declaration.

While one in four children in conflict zones around the world get denied the right to an education, much of the problem is due to the use of schools by government security forces and non-state armed groups.

These armed groups have used schools and other educational institutions as military bases, shelters, weapons caches and outposts. While takeover time can vary from weeks to years, military usage of schools disrupts students’ learning. Additionally, it makes them more vulnerable to attacks from opposing forces or sexual violence caused by the very soldiers who inhabit the school.

In addition to these violations of human rights in Namibia, the use of schools for military purposes also diminishes student attendance and transition to higher levels, as well as permanent school closures.

To protect these children, 64 countries have given their allegiance to the Safe Schools Declaration. An international agreement started in 2015 to provide for the safety and continuation of education throughout times of war. Countries who have joined the declaration have committed to avoiding military usage of educational buildings during periods of conflict, as well as collecting data to investigate and potentially prosecute those in violation.

While Namibia’s neighboring countries, including Angola, South Africa, and Zambia, have all already committed to the Safe Schools Declaration, the nation’s avoidance of the treaty is a cause of major concern for the future of human rights in Namibia.

As children and teachers continue to suffer the consequences of armed forces use of schools in Namibia, a commitment to ending the practice is in immediate need on the part of the nation’s government.

– Kendra Richardson

Photo: Google

The State of the Niger Delta Oil Spill

Oil SpillThe Niger Delta, spanning 70,000 square kilometers – equivalent to 7.5 percent of Nigeria’s total land mass – is home to 20 million people. In the Niger Delta, amidst the wild lands and individuals, 2.7 million barrels of oil are extracted per day. One government agency, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), collects data and reports the amounts of petroleum jettisoned into the environment.

The NNPC places the petroleum quantity spilled at 2,300 cubic meters, averaging 300 individual annual spills. Nigerian federal government figures estimate more than 7,000 oil spill incidents between 1970 and 2000. Between nine million and 13 million barrels have been spilled in the Niger Delta since 1958. Despite this data, the World Bank argues that the exact quantity of petroleum may actually be 10 times greater, as oil spill incidents may not always be reported.

Technology such as BIOCLEAN, provided by The U.S. nonprofit Sustainability International, is making cleaning the Niger Delta easier and more efficient. BIOCLEAN restores contaminated sites and decontaminates in less than 30 days with one application. Chinyere Nnadi is the founder of Sustainability International; motivated by the success of new technology, he has collaborated with the Blockchain for Social Impact Coalition (BSIC). BSIC develops and implements solutions that can address social and environmental challenges. Blockchain-based solutions track transactions such as votes casted in elections and raw material sourcing.

Alongside the efforts of nonprofits such as Sustainability International, the one billion dollar clean-up plan signed last year by Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari, continues along. The plan was devised by the collaboration of UN engineers, oil companies and the Nigerian government. As a part of this plan, factories are built to process and clean tens of thousands of tonnes of contaminated soil. In addition to cleaning, the plan mandates a mass replanting of mangroves.

The Niger Delta has endured years and years of environmental damage. The uncountable amounts of oil spilled may seem as dark and gloomy as the substance itself; however, innovation and environmental sustainability will lead to the eventual clean-up of the Niger Delta. If current efforts are able to continue making progress, it is possible the Niger Delta will be cleaned in less than 25 years, with all the swamps, creeks, fishing grounds and mangroves restored.

– Yosef Mahmoud
Photo: Flickr

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Seven Facts About Human Rights in Poland

Human Rights in PolandPoland has been a liberal democracy ever since it transitioned from communism in 1989. It is a nation that enjoys free and fair elections and civil liberties protections; however, there is a strong partisan divide in Poland. The Law and Justice Party has become skeptical of the efficacy of liberal democracy; it has enacted a number of authoritarian reforms, enhancing the power of the party and undermining checks and balances enshrined in the Polish constitution. Here are seven facts about human rights in Poland:

  1. Speech is free in Poland, but there are some limitations. A person with a public platform can be fined and even jailed for promoting anti-government activity, amorality and disrespect for religion. However, these restrictions are rarely enforced.
  2. Freedom of the press is a constitutional human right in Poland, but recent laws enacted by Poland’s governing party have limited that freedom. Starting in 2017, journalists must be pre-approved in order to interview legislators in the halls of Parliament. The Law and Justice Party has also made moves to have more influence on public media. The party amended Polish law so that the treasurer has the power to choose the heads of public media, rather than an independent board. Polish public media officials were quickly replaced with Law and Justice party officials after the amendment was passed.
  3. Roma, LGBT and Muslim communities experience frequent discrimination in Poland. In 2016, violent hate crimes rose by 40 percent and most of these attacks targeted Muslims. Despite this, Poland has shut down its Council for the Prevention of Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance.
  4. Women have equal rights in Poland, but domestic violence and sex trafficking are still significant issues. The Polish government recently defunded the Women’s Rights Center, which had played a major role in aiding female victims of domestic violence. Polish officials have claimed that they shut down the institution because it did nothing to help the male victims of domestic violence.
  5. Poland has been going through a constitutional crisis, as the Law and Justice Party has taken steps that increase the power of the party and reduce the power of the Constitutional Tribunal – the nation’s highest court. The crisis began when the Law and Justice Party refused to seat five judges appointed to the court by the previous ruling party, and instead nominated their own. The tribunal ruled this act unconstitutional, but the government refused to release the ruling, making it technically non-binding. The Polish government has passed several laws designed to make the tribunal run less efficiently, and has appointed party ally Julia Przyłębska to be president of the tribunal. These actions have raised concerns among the EU and the U.S. that the Polish government is eroding democratic checks and balances.
  6. In 2016, Poland passed a counter-terrorism law that gives the government far-reaching surveillance powers. The law allows for the government to wiretap and monitor the communications of people the government fears might be involved in terrorism-related activities. The government has the power to continue these activities for three months without oversight, as well as use illegally obtained evidence in court and detain suspects for up to two weeks.
  7. Polish prisons fail to meet the standards set by other European countries. The minimum legal size of a jail cell in Poland is 32 square feet, which falls below the internationally recognized standard. Many prisons are in need of renovations and lack adequate healthcare and accommodations for prisoners with disabilities.

Though the Polish ruling party is encroaching on the nation’s civil liberties, there are still actions that can be taken to protect human rights in Poland. Poland still has free and fair elections, and if that remains unchanged, the Polish people have the power to democratically reject these illiberal reforms by voting in candidates that promise to restore power to the Constitutional Tribunal. The EU also has the power to sanction Poland if it goes too far – something it threatened to do last month in the face of efforts to stack the Constitutional Tribunal with even more party allies. Both of these situations should bring hope to the people of Poland, as it makes the improvement of their human rights a very possible outcome of the future.

– Carson Hughes

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Common Mental Illnesses in Developing Countries

Mental Illnesses in Developing CountriesAlthough many diseases plague those in poverty, mental illnesses in developing countries also wreak havoc. Mental healthcare for vulnerable populations cannot keep up with the demand of those suffering from mental illness. While the stigma even in the developed world is still prevalent, awareness must lead to action in order to treat mental illnesses in developing countries.

Mental illnesses in developing countries encompass diverse conditions and ages — from autism and mental retardation in early childhood to substance abuse and schizophrenia in adolescents, depression and bipolar disorder in adults and dementia in older people. Compared to developed countries, the developing world sees the same number, if not more, cases of mental illness. While the genetic disposition for developing most mental illnesses is universal, the social and environmental factors that trigger these diseases are more direct for those in poverty.

Most scientific studies show a close correlation between indicators of poverty and the risk of mental disorders, the most consistent association being with low levels of education — a common factor in low-income societies. Other factors such as the experience of insecurity and hopelessness, rapid social change and the risks of violence and physical ill-health also contribute to the greater vulnerability of the poor to common mental illnesses.

Apart from the innumerable symptoms associated with mental illness, including hopelessness, anxiety, delusions and so many more, these conditions have a big effect on other health issues and on the social and economic opportunities. The World Health Organization estimates that mental and neurological disorders are the leading cause of ill health and disability globally.

People who feel depressed, anxious, or cannot function without extra support are less likely to attend school, seek employment, and follow the laws. Too often, those stuck in this vicious cycle don’t have access to consistent treatment to prevent the negative consequences.

A common myth, even among those who accept that mental disorders are prevalent in poor countries, is that these illnesses cannot be treated affordably. With so many health issues affecting developing countries, tackling mental health tends to seem like a luxury. Foreign aid remains focused on the “big three” communicable diseases of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

Many other health conditions, especially mental illness, thus receive only a fraction of the attention and funding. The gap between the number of people with disorders and the number who receive evidence-based care is as high as 70 to 80 percent in many developing countries. Almost half the countries in the world have no explicit mental health policy and nearly a third have no mental health program whatsoever.

Individuals, governments and organizations also currently lack interest to treat mental illnesses in developing countries. However, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and all common mental disorders need to be placed alongside other diseases associated with poverty.

Mental health is just as important to a country’s stability as physical health. Regardless of ethnicity, gender, or income level, everybody deserves access and support for growingly common health conditions.

– Allie Knofczynski

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Ancient Seeds Could Fight Hunger in Central America

Hunger in Central AmericaCentral America is famous in many parts of the world for its coffee production, however, the region must also cultivate other crops and livestock to feed its population. As of 2014, the UN had declared much of Central America to be in a drought zone – one affecting over 2.8 million peoples’ food sources and financial security. Fortunately, ancient drought-resistant seeds could prevent impoverishment and hunger for many Central American farmers.

Drought instigates hunger in Central America and other places through a persistent lack of rainfall. The shortage of precipitation does not allow crops to grow, preventing farmers from eating or selling their yields. The National Drought Mitigation Center calls drought “a creeping phenomenon.” Many areas of the world go through shorter, less intense droughts; however, Central America’s has been dire.

The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has overviewed the situation by stating “The lack of rain since the middle of 2014 has resulted in the loss of staple grain crops and death of thousands of cattle in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and to a lesser extent in areas of Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.”

Reversing the drought over an area as large as Central America seems to be an immense or even impossible undertaking, given that the drought has already affected millions of people. However, the answer to the area’s low food output and the growing hunger problem in Central America could lie within a specific type of seed – preserved ancient seeds.

The organization, Native Seeds/SEARCH, located in Tucson, Arizona, is a nonprofit dedicated to conserving local biodiversity. Many of the seeds protected and cultivated by the organization are anciently local to the dry and arid environment. This quality marks the seeds as well-suited to areas experiencing chronic drought, such as Central America. Moreover, the kernels that Native Seeds/SEARCH have protected have already been successfully used to provide the Tohono O’odham Nation of American Indians with a sustainable food source.

Because the seeds have been used for thousands of years in the dry environment of southwestern U.S., they have a natural propensity to thrive in drought-ridden areas. The seeds were not only cultivated in this region, but are also naturally native. This means that the seeds have a genetic predisposition to grow in nearly waterless environments.

Native Seeds/SEARCH calls their organization a “seed bank” and uses new freezing technologies to store their seeds. “What began as a humble operation with seeds stored in chest freezers has grown to a state-of-the art conservation facility,” states Native Seeds/SEARCH on their methodology.

Although no effort has been made directly by the organization to alleviate hunger in Central America specifically, Gary Nabhan, co-founder of the Native Seeds/SEARCH project, has expressed his enthusiasm for sowing his seeds on a grander scale. “We promote the use of these ancient crops and their wild relatives by distributing seeds to traditional communities and to gardeners worldwide.”

This endeavor could lead to a large reduction in hunger and poverty in drought-affected areas, which could possibly alleviate hunger in Central America as well, as it is most certainly affected by drought and in dire need of aid.

– Michael Carmack

Photo: Flickr

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Government Plans to Contain the Most Common Diseases in Djibouti

common diseases in Djibouti Two common diseases in Djibouti are HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. The weak infrastructure of the national health system, equipment shortages and scarcity of human resources make treating and eradicating tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS in Djibouti difficult.

The prevalence of tuberculosis in Djibouti is among the highest in the world with over 200 people reported as infected weekly. Tuberculosis is an airborne bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Due to malnutrition, diminished water resources and steadily increasing border movements there has been a rise in tuberculosis. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the diseases is compounded by the difficulty of access for numerous localities, lack of resources, limited capacities of mobile health units and the reduced mobility of the rural population.

HIV/AIDS is one of many common diseases in Djibouti. It is a sexually transmitted disease that destroys the immune system and eventually results in death without proper treatment. Djibouti has one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates in the world among young adults and the number of those infected only rises.

In 2015, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimated that over 9,000 people in Djibouti were living with HIV/AIDS. At least 8,000 are adults over the age 15. The epidemic has left an estimated 5,000 orphans up to the age of 17.

Over the years, the epidemic has continuously grown and affected the lives of not only those infected but their loved ones as well.

The government of Djibouti has declared a plan to invest in improved control of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. The HIV/AIDS National Strategic Plan and National Tuberculosis Strategic Plan will be implemented through public sector agencies, private and non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations.

The goal is to contain and reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS as well as tuberculosis and its impact on those infected and affected by the epidemic. They will work to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis by reducing transmission, expanding access to treatment, providing care and support.

HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis are two of the common diseases in Djibouti. Countless are suffering due to the impact of the diseases. The government of Djibouti has decided to implement efforts to contain the diseases and to lessen the impact on those not only infected but affected by the diseases.

– Danyel Harrigan

Photo: Flickr