Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

New Initiative to Improve Maternal Care in Jamaica

Maternal Care in JamaicaJamaica aims to reduce its maternal and infant mortality rates, which currently stand at 10.668 deaths per 1,000 live births. This is a 2.04% decline from 2022’s 10.890 deaths per 1,000 live births. In January, the government of Jamaica announced the “Right Start – A Maternal and Newborn Care Initiative” to address these challenges. The program aims to improve maternal care, particularly for the most vulnerable parents and babies.

About the Initiative

The initiative will see the nationwide distribution of Butterfly Monitors (handheld ultrasound machines) to improve prenatal care and complication checks. According to reports, 24 machines will be available to ten hospitals across Jamaica, including emergency departments at several more facilities. This will enable early diagnoses of problems such as heart conditions or maternal hemorrhaging.

Hospitals like Victoria Jubilee, Spanish Town, Princess Margaret and St Ann’s Bay, will benefit from these machines, improving prenatal care and complication checks as a result. The portability of these machines will allow for the provision of essential care without the need to move patients to different hospital departments, thus streamlining the care process for parents, fetuses and doctors. In addition, emergency departments at several more facilities like Kingston Public Hospital and University Hospital of the West Indies will benefit from these devices.

Other Support Efforts

To support this program, The Jamaicans Abroad Helping Jamaicans at Home (JAHJAH) Foundation trained more than 40 health care professionals on using the Butterfly Monitors in a two-day workshop earlier this year. The organization will also provide monthly training, including consultations and case reviews.

The second part of the ‘Right Start’ initiative is the ‘Snuggle Nest Kits’. This more pastoral approach to improving maternal care in Jamaica has already seen 60 kits, which contain portable infant beds, diapers and other hygiene supplies, distributed to disadvantaged new parents. The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) provided $25,000 in funding for the new ultrasound machines and donated 100 kits in collaboration with the U.S.-based company, Bailey’s Medical Supplies.

The Jamaican Ministry of Health and Wellness recently announced its intentions to order 2,000 more ‘Snuggle Nests’, and acknowledged the AFJ and Bailey’s Medical Supplies for offering support. These kits will mean young and vulnerable parents can provide a more safe and secure environment for their babies, particularly when they have other responsibilities around the home to take care of.

Looking Ahead

The ‘Right Start’ initiative is an important step toward reducing infant and maternal mortality rates by improving maternal care in Jamaica, particularly for the most susceptible babies and parents. Although Jamaica has made progress in this area, there is still work to be done to meet the U.N.’s target of ending preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age by 2030.

– Martha Probert
Photo: Flickr

Chhaupadi: Addressing Menstrual Taboos in Nepal

Menstrual Taboos in NepalChhaupadi is a dangerous and illegal tradition of period shaming that most young girls in Nepal experience during their menstrual cycle. During their period, girls have to leave their family home and live alone in a chhau hut. They cannot touch or interact with anyone, attend religious ceremonies or use household toilets. Girls going through their first period often cannot even go outside during the day. These issues from this practice highlight the need for addressing menstrual taboos in Nepal.

Making Living Conditions Worse

As a country suffering from extreme poverty, chhaupadi only serves to make living conditions in Nepal worse for girls and women. The poverty rate in Nepal stood at 17.4% in 2019. What’s more, the World Bank reports that development in Nepal is slower than usual in 2023, and this is due to import restrictions, monetary policy tightening, higher inflation and shrinking government expenditure.

Many women who had to practice chhaupadi have come to great harm or even death. The deaths of these women are often not recorded, so there are no reliable means of getting the exact death toll. But these deaths from menstrual taboos in Nepal are indeed happening, despite the lack of recordings. Recorded deaths include the case of Parbati Buda Rawat in 2019; she died from smoke inhalation after the blanket in her hut caught fire and the authorities took her brother-in-law Chhatra Raut into custody after suspecting he forced her into the hut.

Nepal outlawed chhaupadi in 2005. Yet, the practice has continued due to deeply entrenched social norms and traditions and a lack of legal enforcement from the side of authorities. According to a 2019 article, 77% of 14-19-year-old girls surveyed still actively practiced chhaupadi.

Social Norms and Traditions

The idea behind the social norms and traditions of menstrual taboos in Nepal is that a menstruating woman is impure, and is at risk of causing harm to those around her. The main reason that people in Nepal still seem to practice chhaupadi is social pressure. Jennifer Thomson, a lecturer at the University of Bath and an author of the aforementioned study, stated in a report that while criminalizing chhaupadi is a good first step, altering some of the people of Nepal’s outlook on it could be a different story: “We found that arresting somebody is a quick and easy measure, but changing attitudes, changing mindsets, changing practices, is going to take years.”

These pressures may come from external sources like family members pressuring young women in the family to comply with tradition. Comparatively, pressure may come from internal sources, with the menstruating girl or woman feeling the desire to stick to social normalities.

Eradicating Chhaupadi

Eradicating chhaupadi and making menstruation safe for women in Nepal is a challenging endeavor. The chhaupadi practice is deeply woven into their society, with thousands of women going through the experience every month. But recent trends suggest that putting an end to this practice is possible. The outlawing of chhaupadi was the first step and now organizations fighting against it continue to make progress toward freedom from period poverty and stigma.

For example, ActionAid, a charity for women and girls, has set up support groups in Nepal for women to discuss how chhaupadi impacts them. So far, the organization has encouraged more than 1,400 women to stop practicing it altogether. It has also managed to cultivate 11 chhaupadi-free communities in Nepal. The women who take part in these support groups often go on to create their own groups and continue making efforts to put an end to chhaupadi after ActionAid’s interventions.

Also, Radha Paudel, a nurse from Nepal, set up The Radha Paudel Foundation in 2016 to educate the public about periods, and to help push back against the myth of menstruation being dirty or impure. Paudel expressed her frustration with the perceptions of periods as such while aiming to make a difference. She was also frustrated at the origins of chhaupadi and its intrinsic connection to gender bias. Paudel said of chhaupadi to NPR that “these taboos perpetuate the idea that women are less powerful than men. This is about human rights and dignity,” NPR reports.

Looking Ahead

Efforts to eradicate the dangerous practice of chhaupadi in Nepal are making progress, offering hope for a future free from period poverty and stigma. Organizations like ActionAid are providing support groups and interventions that have empowered several women to abandon the practice. The Radha Paudel Foundation is also working to educate the public and challenge the misconceptions surrounding menstruation, emphasizing the importance of human rights and dignity for all.

– Jess Wilkinson
Photo: Unsplash

The Problem of Mental Health in Pakistan

The problem of mental health in PakistanPakistan is home to around 200 million people. Despite such a huge population, the country has “one of the poorest mental health indicators” worldwide and “less than 500 psychiatrists,” according to the Lancet Psychiatry. The discrepancy between the high population and corresponding medical support for mental health in Pakistan raises a need to investigate the causes, statistics and potential solutions regarding mental health in the country.

The Stigma and Spiritualism

Around 90% of the population of Pakistan with common mental health disorders do not have access to treatment. And the British Asian Trust reports that roughly “50 million people in the country suffer from mental health disorders.”  Also, “stigma, awareness and a lack of service” are all potential explanations for the mental health issues in Pakistan.

There is a common stigmatization of mental health and its effects in Pakistan, thus impacting the lack of awareness and support for those in the country struggling with mental health disorders. Along with this, there is also a recurring association between mental health and spiritualism. According to Sehat Kahani, people often use supernatural causes to explain mental health. In addition, communities look to religion as a cure for mental health issues. While religious observance may be able provide contentment for those suffering, an over-reliance on it in place of psychiatric health could actually hinder progress.

Poverty Impacting Mental Health

Sehat Kahani also suggests that as poverty is a prominent issue within Pakistan, mental health support is a “luxury” for many people in the country. As a result, there is a growing inaccessibility to essential mental health support services for a majority of those with mental health disorders.

According to the International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience, there is no political or governmental policy regarding the problem of mental health in Pakistan. An absence of mental health practices within the routines and schedules of trainee doctors bolsters this lack of awareness.

According to the World Bank, poverty in Pakistan could reach 37.2% in 2023. This equates to almost 3 million Pakistani people living in poverty. There is a significant cost to private mental health care in the country. Dr. Shoaib Ahmad, the psychiatric department head at Karachi Dow’s University of Health Sciences, notes that patients have to “pay Rs200,000 to Rs300,000 in advance to a well-known therapist in advance to book an appointment.” For those living in impoverished conditions, this could be massively unaffordable.

Making a Change

The COSARAF foundation, alongside the CareTech foundation and the British Asian Trust, has partnered to invest £1 million to deliver changes in mental health wellbeing and provisions in Pakistan. The program will cover access to clinical mental health services as well as access to mental health support for individuals suffering from mental health issues within their own communities as well as an increase in overall awareness.

According to COSARAF, the program aims to “enable 100,000 people with mental health problems to access mental health support within their communities, provide access to clinical mental health services for 10,000 people and ensure that 500,000 people have increased awareness of issues relating to mental health, leading to reduced stigma around mental health.”

Looking Ahead

In response to the urgent need for improved mental health support in Pakistan, the COSARAF Foundation, the CareTech Foundation and the British Asian Trust have joined forces to implement initiatives that aim to make a positive change. Through increased access to clinical services, community-based support and heightened awareness, these initiatives aim to benefit thousands of individuals and contribute to reducing the stigma surrounding mental health. This collaborative effort holds the potential to create a brighter future for mental health in Pakistan.

– Ibrahim Azam
Photo: Unsplash

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How Epilepsy Care is Managed in Africa

Epilepsy in AfricaEpilepsy is one of the most widespread neurological disorders in the world, with about 50 million people living with it. More than 75% of people living with the disease are located in less developed countries, where there is difficulty receiving advanced medical treatments. Of that 75%, around 25 million people have epilepsy in Africa, forcing a great burden on people’s daily lives.

Common signs of an epilepsy episode may include seizures, unconsciousness, distress in movements and other psychological illnesses such as anxiety and depression. Premature death is three times more prevalent in epilepsy patients than in those without the disease, the highest rates being in rural areas. Not only is there a significant gap in treatment, but the rise of stigma and discrimination within African communities has prevented people from seeking care for epilepsy in Africa. 

Fortunately, health care systems in African regions have begun to take action by incorporating facilities and therapies tailored to treat epilepsy for patients, especially for rural populations. On the other hand, due to embedded cultural and traditional values in African societies, there are still lingering struggles to understand what epilepsy is, its diagnosis and cures. 

Barriers to Health Care 

Around 80% of people with epilepsy in Africa are not able to obtain medicines to treat and manage seizure episodes. Rural communities in African countries are often confronted with a lack of awareness and comprehension when it comes to diagnostic treatments for epilepsy, which can often lead to misdiagnosis. Additionally, because health care institutions are uncommon in low-income areas, people have to travel a long way in hopes of accessing medical attention. Due to the unstable infrastructure in the health care systems, finding professionals like epileptologists and neurologists specializing in epilepsy care is rare. 

Receiving treatment is also a major financial burden for many Africans, as the cost of health insurance ranges from $10 up to $50 per month. Medication and MRI scans which serve for assessing and treating epilepsy patients can cost between $50 to $1000.

Fighting Stigma and Discrimination

People with epilepsy living in poverty are usually the ones that receive the most backlash and face discrimination due to societal myths about the condition. Many people have perceived epilepsy as a contagious disease leading to them avoiding assisting someone during an epileptic episode. Along with this, discrimination has led to difficulty finding jobs and isolation from the rest of the community.

Education and legislation play a vital role in diminishing the stigma toward people with epilepsy. This is important because it can offer factual proof that calls for better assistance and treatment for epilepsy. Moreover, those who have seizure episodes in the work environment often face employment termination and are not able to continue work because of the stigmatization. Only a small portion of African countries have implemented legislation to safeguard individuals with epilepsy, but these protections have not always been in full enforcement.

Rehabilitation centers and health programs 

On a positive note, there have been ongoing developments in the health sector that help to dismantle stigma and enable treatment access for people in need. Many African regions have been incorporating “Mobile Health Clinics (MHCs)” to help people in remote communities where there are no health institutions. This innovation paves the way for the right specialists and health care providers, who work with different therapies, to improve the livelihood of people living with epilepsy. Speech, physical and cognitive therapies are crucial to managing epilepsy in patients to relieve psychological stressors. 

Other health programs have implemented reliable tests to distinguish and improve particular diagnoses of the disorder. The focal point for these programs is to work with communities in more impoverished areas while empowering women, the elderly and children. Additionally, this has offered a safe and unprejudiced environment for people with epilepsy, since they can speak through their condition without the feeling of judgment and dehumanization.  

Future Prospects

Efforts toward advancing and prioritizing care for epilepsy in Africa have been on the rise, with a focus on offering rehabilitation and therapy services. Research organizations, like CURE Epilepsy, have been working with local organizations in various countries to continue with the efforts and support to better the livelihood of many African individuals living with epilepsy. 

– Alessandra Amati
Photo: Flickr

Freedom from Poverty: Malaysian Palm Oil

Malaysian Palm OilPalm oil is the world’s highest-yielding vegetable oil and Malaysia’s third highest-yielding export. For many smallholders in Malaysia, it is also a means of escaping poverty. However, Malaysian palm oil smallholders are facing both domestic and international pressure to improve their sustainability credentials. 

Oil Palm: The Money Tree

Malaysia is one of the largest palm oil producers in the world, second only to neighboring Indonesia. Smallholders, farmers who cultivate oil palm areas of less than 50 hectares, account for 40% of palm oil output in Malaysia. Since the 1960s, land conversion schemes run by the government’s Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) agency have supplied smallholders with land to grow oil palm. These schemes have successfully reduced the poverty rate among smallholders by 90% (from 50% to 5%).

Oil palm cultivation has been an unprecedentedly effective means of reducing poverty. However, even today many Malaysian palm oil smallholders have average incomes below the national poverty line. These farmers and their families experience poor social and environmental standards as a result. 

The Push for Sustainability

In 2013, the Malaysian government set up the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standard to regulate the Malaysian palm oil industry. Since 2020, smallholders have been required to have MSPO certification, which aims to improve management practices and reduce the risk of threats to biodiversity, like land conversion. In 2021, the Malaysian government provided 20 million Malaysian Ringgit (RM) to help smallholders acquire MSPO certification. However, mandatory sustainability certification requirements have increased smallholders’ financial burdens, compounding existing problems such as expensive land tenure and limited market access.

The EU Regulation

Malaysian palm oil smallholders are also facing international pressure to improve sustainability. In December, a new EU regulation banned imports of commodities grown on land deforested after 2020. Malaysia — along with Indonesia — has accused the EU of blocking market access for their palm oil and threatened to stop all exports to the economic bloc. In a joint statement, a group of six smallholder associations from both countries said that the EU’s “unrealistic demands on traceability and geolocation” could deny smallholders market access.

Historically, oil palm plantations have replaced swathes of forest and more diversified cropland in Malaysia. According to a study published in January 2023, oil palm is one of the “main crops threatening biodiversity and natural habitats in Southeast Asia” along with rubber. Malaysia’s national sustainability certification program was partly meant to assuage international fears about the deforestation risk associated with palm oil. And although the EU’s new regulation has the potential to harm the income of Malaysian smallholders, it should be considered in the context of Malaysia’s export markets. In 2022, the EU accounted for only 9.4% of Malaysia’s palm oil export volume. 

Looking Ahead

In the face of domestic and international pressure, Malaysian palm oil smallholders are taking steps toward improving their sustainability practices. The Malaysian government’s establishment of the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standard and financial support for smallholders to acquire certification demonstrates the commitment to enhancing management practices and protecting biodiversity. While challenges remain, including financial burdens and market access limitations, there has been progress toward a more sustainable palm oil industry that can benefit both smallholders and the environment.

– Samuel Chambers
Photo: Flickr

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How NGOs in Kosovo Tackle food Insecurity 

NGOs in KosovoA country still coping with the repercussions of conflict and economic hardships, Kosovo continues to experience a rise in food poverty. Hence, to address this issue, NGOs in Kosovo including Rahma (Mercy) and Mohanji Act Foundation, continue acting in response to the food insecurity issues affecting residents. These NGOs are implementing innovative strategies and collaborating to ensure that everyone can access nutritious meals.

Background

Between 1998 and 1999, Kosovo went through a devastating war that resulted in the expulsion of approximately 800,000 Kosovans. However, the successful signing of the Peace Agreement enabled 90% of Albanians to return, bringing the overall population to an estimated 1,600,000. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has coordinated with around 200 humanitarian organizations to assist in rebuilding through the provision of aid, including food, medical care, shelter, water and sanitation.

Rahma Mercy

Established in 1999, the Rahma (Mercy) is an NGO that prides itself in providing assistance to alleviate suffering within the Balkan region. Supporting countries like Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo, the Rahma (Mercy) NGO aims to mobilize resources and people to offer affected communities emergency help, including food, water, shelter and medical care.

Generating an income of around £2.83 million in 2022, Rahma (Mercy) aims to help alleviate the effect of food poverty in Kosovo by offering grants to individuals or other organizations; providing finances or services; advocating for human rights. Its efforts have been important in helping to save lives and provide crucial aid.

While relieving food poverty is a concern, Rahma (Mercy) further prides itself on implementing projects targeted toward encouraging sustainable change, through investing in education, housing and health care.

Like many other NGOs, Rahma (Mercy) relies on the kindness and generosity of both donors and volunteers. Its dedication to transparency and accountability is evident in its open disclosure of financial information.

Mohanji Act Foundation

The Mohanji Foundation has a primary goal of reducing suffering among populations. The foundation aims to prevent and relieve poverty, through overseas aid and famine relief projects. Operating in Kosovo among many other countries like Ukraine and Sri Lanka, it achieves this by mobilizing resources such as food and water, providing services and making grants to organizations.

Additionally, it aids the homeless through their food donation programs. Its global platform, ACT4Hunger, is inspired by Mohanji and is used to facilitate food donations.

Looking Ahead

Though NGOs encounter various obstacles in providing aid, the relief efforts in Kosovo to tackle food poverty, have demonstrated the possibility of effective collaboration between local partners and the community. These organizations strive to promote sustainable change and also engage with policymakers to address the underlying causes of food poverty.

– Erdona Sopa
Photo: Unsplash

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Diseases Impacting India

Diseases Impacting IndiaIn 2023, India became the most populous nation in the world, with the fifth-largest GDP and one of the fastest-growing economies in the world to boot. However, on the other side of this economic prosperity is the growing income inequality within the population. While 64 new Indian billionaires emerged between 2020 and 2022, India also continues to house the most number of people living in poverty, with almost 230 million people living below the poverty line. Many Indians living in chronic poverty are vulnerable to a wide range of diseases impacting India, especially because the cost of health care is practically prohibitive for the Indian poor.

Waterborne Diseases

A significant amount of surface water in India is polluted and unsafe to use. Unfortunately, the unclean water serves as a breeding ground for several waterborne diseases. Approximately 70% of surface water in India is dangerous to drink, including major river channels. Every year, waterborne diseases incur up to $600 million in economic costs in India.

Between 2011 and 2020, India recorded a total of 565 cholera outbreaks, with contaminated water and poor sanitation representing the chief causative factors. The poor hygiene and water conditions of India are also directly related to one of the leading causes of child mortality in the country, which is diarrhea. Around 13% of all deaths of children under the age of 5 are due to diarrheal diseases, making it the third biggest cause of death for children in the aforementioned age group.

Several years earlier in 2014, the government of India recognized the severity of India’s water conditions and launched the Namami Gange project. With a total budget of more than $4 billion, Namami Gange focused on constructing sewage treatment facilities and river-front development in the River Ganges. In 2022, the United Nations (U.N.) recognized the project as one of the Top 10 World Restoration Flagships for restoring over 900 miles of river length so far.

Tuberculosis (TB)

In 2021, India alone accounted for 28% of all TB cases worldwide, and roughly 500,000 Indians died from TB. Moreover, the global rise of drug-resistant tuberculosis is heavily affecting India as well, with 23% of new cases in India having resistance to some kind of drugs.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently announced his goal to eliminate TB in India by 2025. In addition to this goal, USAID has been providing TB-related aid to India since 1998 and assigned a total budget of $15 million on addressing TB in India in 2022.

Noncommunicable Diseases Impacting India

Between 1990 and 2016, the proportion of NCD-related deaths drastically increased from 37.9% to 61.8%. Cardiovascular diseases have become the most common and deadly NCD in India, along with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), cancer and diabetes.

Long-term day-to-day habits and routines of individuals can cause various NCDs. Smoking, drinking, unhealthy diet and high blood pressure are some of the most common risk factors for NCDs, and many Indians are prone to them. For instance, India is the third biggest producer of tobacco in the world, and the nation itself consumes nearly half of the tobacco production.

NCDs are also closely associated with poverty in India. More than 35% of all Indians do not have any form of health insurance coverage and people usually pay their medical expenses out-of-pocket. A staggering amount of 55 million Indians fell into poverty because of medical expenses in a single year.

In an effort to combat the impact of NCDs on Indians in poverty, the Indian government launched the Ayushman Bharat program back in 2018, a nationwide health protection scheme that aims to provide public health insurance to low-income Indians for free. In 2020, the program received an estimated $1 billion in funding.

The Good News

While India faces pressing issues that demand intervention aimed at ensuring the protection of its citizens from diseases impacting India, ongoing efforts present a reason to hope for a better future. The Indian government is making progress in mitigating major health hazards in the country, while also improving the accessibility of health care for individuals living in poverty.

– Junoh Seo
Photo: Unsplash

Access to Quality Health Care in Jamaica

quality health care in JamaicaIn an interview with The Borgen Project, native Jamaican Shamella Parker describes the dire consequences of a lack of access to quality health care in Jamaica. On an evening in February 2023 in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Parker’s aunt Mary, a live-in cook, shared a dish with her employer containing susumba, commonly known as gully bean, a type of green berry popular in Jamaica. Shortly after the meal, both Mary and her employer fell ill.

The man’s family took him to a nearby hospital. “The hospital that he went to, I believe they treated him on the spot because he was wealthy and I guess known in the neighborhood, but my aunt – not being as wealthy – went to another hospital in the area where she was from,” said Parker. In contrast, Mary went to a hospital in St. Catherine and spent a long time waiting to be attended to in the waiting room despite being an emergency case. Eventually, she lost consciousness and became unresponsive. Nurses and doctors attempted to revive her, but it was too late. Parker and Mary’s husband feel the hospital did not do all it could to save her.

According to Mary’s husband, the forensic pathologist was away at his wife’s time of death. For example, in 2015, the Jamaican government employed only two forensic pathologists who perform autopsies for everyone who does not have insurance. When Mary’s husband returned, the pathologist deemed Mary died of an accident – consumption of a poisonous seed. But, to Mary’s family, unequal access to prompt and quality health care in Jamaica stood as the true cause.

A Public Health Crisis

Jamaica’s iconic reggae and beaches backdrop a public health crisis. The legacy of the colonial slave-based economy birthed the traumatic, post-emancipation public health care system present in Jamaica today. Health care is a dimension of poverty on the island; the Multidisciplinary Poverty Index (MPI) of 2022 estimated that 78,000 Jamaicans lived in multidimensional poverty in 2020. The Index splits poverty into three dimensions – health, education and standard of living – and scales the intensity of deprivations for each. Compared to selected other Caribbean and Latin American countries at that time, health care deprivation was greatest in Jamaica, at 52.2%; the next highest was Trinidad and Tobago at 45.5%.

Insurance and Unequal Access to Quality Health Care in Jamaica

The National Health Plan estimates that 500,000 out of 2.7 million Jamaicans have insurance. This means roughly 80% of Jamaicans do not have it and have to rely on public hospitals. These hospitals do not have enough equipment to meet this demand, with World Data estimating that there are 1.32 primary care doctors per 1,000 civilians and 1.7 hospital beds.

Many Jamaicans do not have insurance due to inflated premiums, rendering insurance inaccessible. Even those who have it are discouraged from exceeding the lifetime maximum benefit. As a result of poor insurance or lack thereof, many reserve medical attention for emergencies.

Just taking her aunt to the hospital, Shamella Parker said, meant “it was a serious thing… we do not just go to the hospital for anything.”

Health Education

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) comprise 79% of mortality in Jamaica. These include diseases such as diabetes, heart disease or cancer. Teaching healthy habits is one way to combat NCDs. Though there is a National School Feeding Programme, public schools increasingly apply the protocol with “unevenness,” according to the Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY) report.

As it is, many schools are not mandated to provide nutritional food, exercise programs or health classes that destigmatize illness. According to the Jamaican Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton: “…there is actually a lost generation around that crisis, a cohort of citizens who unfortunately will have to spend the rest of their lives trying to make themselves as comfortable as they can…”

Transportation Infrastructure

Hospitals are difficult to reach. People often live far away from health centers and hospitals. Reliable infrastructure is essential for continual access to health care in Jamaica. However, rural roads are often unpaved, secluded and vulnerable to climate damage. Bad weather resulting in landslides and flooding is common and may disrupt transportation by “cut[ting] off access to health care, education and other essential services,” according to a 2018 report. Blocked roads complicate transporting patients. Jamaica’s “limited funding” for transportation maintenance causes drawn-out repairs when roads erode and bridges collapse.

Ongoing Efforts

In 2020, the Jamaican government signed the Vision for Health 2030, a 10-year health improvement strategy to reorder Jamaica’s fragmented care. Alongside the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), this plan tackles noncommunicable diseases and maternal health by increasing the number of hospitals on the island and modernizing services to boost equity and efficiency while delivering “higher technical quality.”

In 2019, the government introduced the National School Nutrition Policy. This legislation forms part of the government’s efforts to mandate healthy eating and exercise in young people. Its provisions include measures such as color-coding foods permitted in schools and providing competitions to incentivize healthy eating, according to the MOEY report.

Additionally, various efforts are underway to reform infrastructure, according to the National Development Plan (NDP). Goal 9 of the NDP includes the country’s largest infrastructure project worth up to $800 million to upgrade roads and access to water, sewage and internet.

In 2016, UNICEF began assisting the government in adopting regulated, cold-chain transport. It is a temperature-controlled supply chain essential for reducing waste and improving the integrity of goods necessary for health services.

Looking Ahead

Efforts to address the public health crisis and improve access to quality health care in Jamaica are underway. The government’s Vision for Health 2030 and collaboration with organizations like PAHO and UNICEF aim to modernize health care services, tackle noncommunicable diseases and enhance infrastructure. The introduction of the National School Nutrition Policy highlights efforts to promote healthy habits among young people. As these initiatives progress, there is hope for a more equitable healthcare system that prioritizes the well-being of all Jamaicans.

– Caroline Crider
Photo: Unsplash

Aid Efforts and Business Opportunities to Fully Electrify Senegal

Electrify Senegal
Poverty ran at more than 36% in Senegal in 2022. But regardless of this fact, the nation actually has a rather high rate of electrification at nearly 80%, which is one of the highest in Africa. These high electrification rates however mask large disparities across different geographical and income groups, made most evident by the rate of poverty. Here is some information about efforts to electrify Senegal.

The Situation

Senegal’s power generation is highly dependent on liquid fuels, with only 10% of power generation from other sources. The expensive nature of liquid fuels means that the Senegalese government must heavily subsidize electricity generation and yet Senegalese consumers still pay more costs for electricity than other African nations at 24 cents per kilowatt hour. For comparison, the average cost per kilowatt in Nigeria is 6 cents.

To address these issues, the Senegalese government has put in place the Emerging Senegal Plan which aims to diversify and modernize energy sources, as well as increase private sector involvement via relaxing some sector regulations. Several international aid programs support this plan and the wider effort to fully electrify Senegal, thereby posing unique business opportunities for foreign investors.

Power Africa

Power Africa is a U.S. government-led public-private partnership that aims to double electricity access in Africa, with Senegal being one of its focus countries, according to the International Trade Administration. The initiative aims to provide resources for companies operating in the Senegalese power sector and as a possible result, increase efficiency and innovation and bring costs down.

Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)

A key supporter of Power Africa is the MCC, which in 2018 signed the Senegal Power Compact worth $550 million with the Government of Senegal. The compact targets three areas: improving the transmission network, increasing electricity access in rural areas and improving the governance and financial viability of the sector, all of which could electrify Senegal to a much greater extent.

If achieved, this not only will address geographical inequality but also alleviate the financial burden on the Senegalese government, potentially freeing up finances to refocus on other important areas.

The World Bank

In 2022, the World Bank approved $150 million from the International Development Association (IDA) to increase electricity access to Senegalese households, businesses and public facilities. In practice, this will see 200,000 households connected to the grid, including 40,000 households that are deemed vulnerable or previously difficult to electrify. Around 700 businesses, 200 schools and 600 health facilities will also benefit.

Business Opportunities

Lucrative investment prospects for foreign investors cover several sub-sectors of the Senegalese power industry, including but not limited to gas technologies, new plant equipment, renewable energy, transmission equipment, smart grid technology, household solar panels and energy efficiency technology, according to International Trade Administration.

Renewable energy and related technology are particularly prominent areas for investment as the government has strongly committed to this area as a means to fully electrify Senegal.

International Trade Administration also predicted that the funding from the MCC Compact will create business and employment opportunities for construction, procurement and engineering companies in the building and deploying of new power-generating infrastructure. Furthermore, ensuring energy efficiency and determining environmental impacts will create opportunities for consulting firms.

Looking Ahead

The combination of government focus, international aid and business opportunities suggests that Senegal is in a great position to achieve more widespread, if not full, electrification. Despite a current high electricity supply rate, fully electrifying Senegal could drastically improve power access in more rural areas and as a result, reduce the high rate of over 36% poverty.

– Saul Gunn
Photo: Flickr

The Lack of Internet Access as an Attack on Kashmir

Around 43% of the population in India has internet access. Unfortunately, internet access growth has paused due to economic issues and tight government restrictions. The government usually cuts internet access for “elections, protests, religious festivals and examinations.”

The shutdowns are all over the country but mostly affect the poorer regions of India. Internet access plays a major role in the economy and education equality. The regions that lack stable and affordable internet access face issues such as students dropping out of school, alongside other economic challenges.

Additionally, reports suggest that regions that do not support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruling party suffer restricted internet access. According to these reports, the Kashmir region faces other human rights abuses and the lack of internet access only emphasizes the economic inequalities that other marginalized Indian communities experience.

Understanding the Conflict

Kashmir is a disputed territory between India and Pakistan. The region has witnessed numerous violent rebellions. In 2019, the region was reconstituted as two union territories, Kashmir and Jammu, under Indian control. With an increasingly Hindu nationalist country, tensions have heightened due to the majority Muslim population in Kashmir.

Many residents lost a substantial amount of political and civil rights when India gained control over the area. This event resulted in the emergence of opposition and rebellion. The past five years have been marked with violence from anti-Indian separatists, Jihadist rebels and Indian security forces. And the Indian government, BJP, has been training and arming militias to fight “anti-Indian insurgencies,” but it has also been attacking the rebel Kashmir region by cutting off internet access.

Impacts

India has imposed internet shutdowns throughout the country and Kashmir has experienced the majority of these disruptions. The BJP justifies these shutdowns as security measures to combat the ongoing rebellion. Recently, the region endured an 18-month internet shutdown, which further aggravated frustrations. These shutdowns have resulted in human rights violations, hampering communication among residents and limiting access to external information. Journalists have faced challenges in fact-checking and reporting, often having to leave the area.

The 18-month shutdown took an economic toll on the area and its residents. Hospitality services were not able to receive any bookings and had to rely on loans from friends and families to maintain regular bills and payments. The ongoing shutdowns all over India have already cost the economy around $600 million.

Although there has been a restoration of internet access to Kashmir, the region still faces intermittent shut-downs in conjunction with slow and limited access. India has faced backlash from countries, like the United States (U.S.), for allowing human rights violations. But even in the face of such criticisms, internet shutdowns are still prevalent, especially in Kashmir.

Positive Updates

India has made stronger commitments to human rights, with the Supreme Court ruling that access to the internet is a fundamental right. Notwithstanding, the government has yet to cut down the internet shutdowns. However, pressure from other countries and international communities might continue to push India forward in protecting human rights.

A joint letter was published in 2019 on Access Now, calling for India to keep the internet “open and secure” in Kashmir and surrounding areas. This letter was signed by over 20 international organizations to encourage the Indian government to return internet access to the area. Many Indian groups from the ‘#Keepiton Coalition’ have spoken out about the lack of internet access in Kashmir and Jammu.

Looking Ahead

In 2021, some internet access was upgraded to 4G after the Indian Supreme Court, the Apni Party leader, the National Conference president and even some members of Modi’s party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, called for the restoration of 4G internet. Kashmir is slowly rebuilding after the devastation of COVID-19 and the lack of internet access. And as a result, several schoolchildren are finally able to continue their schooling.

– Kathryn Kendrick

Photo: Flickr