Archive for category: Health

Information and stories on health topics.

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Digital Health Apps in Africa Aim to Revolutionize Medical Care

Digital Health Apps in AfricaDigital Health Apps are becoming an increasingly popular part of the “mHealth” or “mobile health” industry around the world. The widespread use of digital health apps in Africa is linked to a rapid increase in cell phone access over the past 20 years. For example, only 8% of Ghanaians owned a cell phone in 2002. By 2015, that number grew tenfold to 83%. In 2017, Sub-Saharan Africa had 778 cellular and 300 mobile internet subscriptions per 1000 people.

A Pew Research Center survey of 7,052 people across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda found that an average of two-thirds of respondents own cell phones. Across Africa, people use smartphones less widely than regular mobile phones. For example, 34% of respondents in South Africa own smartphones. Regardless, rising cell phone access offers the potential to improve access to health care for many across the continent.

Healthcare in Africa

Less than 50% of people across Africa can access modern health facilities, and 80% rely on public health facilities. However, public health facilities often experience chronic drug shortages, causing many patients to die from otherwise curable diseases. In 2015 alone, approximately 1.6 million people in Africa died of tuberculosis, malaria or HIV-related illnesses. Proper medication or vaccines can prevent, treat or even cure these diseases.

Many African countries spend less than 10% of their gross domestic product on healthcare. The lack of funding for health care limits the accessibility to adequate health care. There is also a lack of skilled medical personnel throughout the continent, as many trained doctors are drawn to the European and American job markets.

mHealth Benefits and Innovations

Technology is now transforming healthcare in Africa by helping improve healthcare access and quality in remote areas. These digital platforms also simplify the process for doctors and policymakers to access data. In turn, doctors and policymakers can use that data to make better-informed individual and system-wide healthcare decisions.

According to a report by the World Health Organization, digital health apps also have the ability to decrease the financial and physical burden associated with transportation to healthcare facilities, “overcome communication delays” through reliable and real-time data and “increase health workers’ adherence to clinical guidelines.” The four digital health apps below are among the many innovations helping to make healthcare more attainable throughout Africa.

  1. Hello Doctor: The South African app Hello Doctor enables people to talk to qualified doctors via their mobile phones. Doctors are available 24 hours a day and respond to call requests within one hour. The app aims to serve an easy point of access for patients and provide health education based on doctors’ advice.
  2. FD-Detector: This app detects fake medications by coding and determining their authenticity. Nigeria has long faced drug counterfeit issues. In June 2018, Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration destroyed an estimated $10 million worth of counterfeit drugs. Part of the problem is that less than 2% of medications prescribed in Africa are actually produced in the continent, which both limits access to local drugs and forces patients to pay the increased prices of imported drugs. FD-Detector uses a medication’s bar code to authenticate it and verify its expiration date. The app was created by five teenage girls from Nigeria, whose innovation won the 2018 Tehnovation Challenge—an international competition in which girls from around the world learn how to become technology leaders and entrepreneurs.
  3. mTrac: mTrac is a mobile health app that allows health workers in Uganda to submit weekly health surveillance data via SMS. As data is collected, an “SMS alert is sent to every member of the district health management team for immediate response when any preset threshold is reached”. For example, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund. “20 cases of typhoid or a single case of viral hemorrhagic fever” would trigger an alert to local health officials. By the end of 2020, mTrac hopes to expand its current database of 62,000 registered health workers to 300,000 registered users.
  4. Market Garden: The Institute for Social Transformation, a Ugandan nonprofit, developed this app designed to connect its primarily female vendors with local Ugandan grocers and consumers looking for fresh products. This direct link reduces crowds, allowing vendors to sell produce in adherence to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions. As a result, vendors can continue to safely earn an income during the lockdown. The Market Garden app allows vendors to receive direct mobile payments. This feature reduces the risk of virus transmission through cash exchanges.

Challenges for mHealth

The cost of cell phones and unreliable cell phone service serve as barriers to digital health in Africa. For these reasons, mHealth is biased toward wealthier groups. In Uganda, for instance, 93% of individuals with secondary education or higher own a mobile phone. Compare this number to the 61% of individuals with lower levels of education and the accessibility gap becomes clear. Gender also plays a role: six of the seven countries surveyed by the Pew Research Center, men are more likely to own a mobile phone than women.

For mHealth to continue expanding and thriving throughout the continent, the Brookings Institution states, “Governments will need to play an active role…through regulation, legal frameworks, and technical training in the health sector.” When access to technology becomes widely available, digital health apps in Africa have the power to make healthcare widely accessible.

– Zoe Engels

Photo: Wikimedia

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Combating Period Poverty in Nepal

Period Poverty in Nepal
Just like the rest of the world, COVID-19 is significantly impacting Nepal. With an actual existing poverty rate of 25.2% and low literacy rates of 75.1% for males and a 57.4% rate for females, the pandemic has further challenged Nepal through forced school closings and shortages of necessary household items. In particular, period poverty in Nepal has become a dilemma for many Nepalese women and girls. The lack of access to menstrual sanitary products as well as the cultural stigma of chhaupadi, an outdated tradition of isolating menstruating women and prohibiting them from touching others and communal objects, combine to make period poverty in Nepal a pressing issue for women.

The Problem: Existing Stigmas and Disparities

The Nepali government technically outlawed chhaupadi in 2005; however, 18 women died because of chhaupadi since this policy’s creation. Additionally, a 2019 study found that 77% of west-central Nepali girls had undergone menstrual exile. In the context of the pandemic, discriminatory ideals are on the rise. Many fear that contact with menstruating women increases the risk of contracting COVID-19. Traditionally, a majority of girls receive menstrual hygiene products from schools. Without access to school due to the pandemic lockdown, however, many Nepalese girls have been deprived of essential resources like tampons. These closings increased demand for sanitary products in retail stores, causing many businesses to deplete their inventories following the announcement of quarantine quickly.

This deficiency forced women to begin relying on unhygienic alternatives such as old pieces of clothes and even leaves to manage their periods. Even before the COVID-19 crisis, roughly 83% of women used alternate forms of hygiene rather than a sanitary pad, while only 15% used actual hygienic pads. Furthermore, 47% of girls admitted to missing school because of menstruation. The use of these unhygienic methods increases the risk of reproductive tract infections as well as cervical cancer. Around 77% of young girls claimed that, due to hygiene products’ lack of accessibility and affordability, they resorted to making their pads. The financial difficulties that COVID-19 has created have only exacerbated the inability to purchase sanitary pads.

Organizations Helping to Overcome Period Poverty in Nepal

Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO) is pouring its efforts into combating period poverty in Nepal by educating young girls on how to make reusable, hygienic and sanitary pads. VSO initiated a program called Sisters for Sisters that paired young Nepali girls with mentors. Before the pandemic, this mentorship program had informed 2,000 girls on how to construct their sanitary pads. These pads can last up to five years, making this solution appealing to the majority of Nepali families. The Sisters for Sisters program has also focused on debunking discriminatory menstruation ideology.

Action Aid is another organization working to combat period poverty in Nepal. This organization distributes sanitary menstrual kits following emergencies or disasters, with a commitment to helping every woman and girl manage their periods safely. The organization’s efforts to tackle period poverty include various tactics. Similar to the Sisters for Sisters campaign, Action Aid trains girls to make reusable sanitary pads. It also offers educational services better, informing girls about their periods and how to navigate menstrual cycles healthily. Finally, Action Aid aims to eliminate period shaming ideologies such as chhaupadi in Nepal.

Hope for a Better Future

Period poverty is a continual issue for many impoverished countries with preexisting discriminatory stigmas surrounding the topic, and the pandemic has only amplified these issues. With the help of organizations working to aid women and girls in their communities and eradicate period poverty in Nepal, however, there is hope for a safer and more sanitary future.

– Adelle Tippetts
Photo: Flickr

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5 Things To Know About Pott’s Disease

Pott’s DiseaseInfectious diseases are one of the main results of poverty in the developing world. In addition, the prevalence of infectious diseases has long been disparate between developing and developed nations. In a report on environmental risk factors and worldwide disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) affirmed the “total number of healthy life years lost per capita was 15-times higher in developing countries than in developed countries” for infectious diseases. Yet, one disease continues to be the deadliest infectious disease in the world, killing approximately 4,000 people a day: tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is a devastating widespread illness in the developing world, specifically in Asian and sub-Saharan African nations. However, tuberculosis of the spine called Pott’s Disease is a serious concern for the developing world. Read on for five things to know about Pott’s Disease.

5 Things To Know About Pott’s Disease

  1. Pott’s disease gets its name from a British surgeon. Though it is also referred to as spinal tuberculosis, the namesake of Pott’s Disease takes after British surgeon Percivall Pott. Pott originally studied and defined the condition in 1779, and his writings and research are still used today.
  2. Pott’s disease begins when tuberculosis spreads to the spine. Tuberculosis is an airborne infection that begins when an individual inhales mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes the disease. If tuberculosis goes untreated for a long period of time (which it often does in the developing world due to lack of access to healthcare and low-income citizens who cannot afford medication), the disease can spread from the lungs to the spine. Once this happens, an individual experiences a type of “spinal arthritis.” Tuberculosis bacteria invades the spinal cord and, if it infects two neighboring spinal joints, blocks the nutrient supply to that region of the back. Eventually, the spinal discs deteriorate and can cause serious back injury, difficulty standing or walking, nerve damage and, in serious cases, paralysis.
  3. Pott’s disease is visually recognizable and has existed for centuries. Unlike normal tuberculosis, which most commonly affects the lungs, Pott’s disease is easily visually recognizable due to the severe curvature of the mid to lower spine that results from the infection. Specifically, the thoracic spinal region is the most affected, followed closely by the lumbar region. This visual indication from remains traces the disease back to the European Iron Age and Egyptian mummies, making it one of the oldest documented diseases in history.
  4. Spinal tuberculosis only represents a small percentage of all tuberculosis cases. Although it is the most debilitating form of tuberculosis, Pott’s Disease only accounts for 1.02 cases per 100,000 tuberculosis cases in the world. This rate is higher among Africans, where 3.13 per 100,000 cases are attributed to Pott’s Disease. Globally, this means that only 1-2% of all tuberculosis cases are attributed to that disease.
  5. Pott’s disease can be treated through a rigorous medication regimen or surgery. Pott’s Disease is a result of a lack of treatment over a long period of time; conversely, a lengthy period of medication is often needed to fully treat the condition. The time period of treatment ranges from nine months to over a year, depending on individual symptoms and progression. However, medication cannot redeem an affected individual’s deformed spinal structure. Thus, it is often only used to treat the tuberculosis infection after surgery. “Spinal fusion or spinal decompression surgeries” can both repair the warped spine and “prevent further neurological complications.” Physical therapy is also often necessary after receiving spine surgery for Pott’s Disease. Yet, treating Pott’s Disease is highly expensive. Even when tuberculosis medication is free, “patient costs associated with TB treatment can be upwards of 80% per capita income in some regions.” However, multiple organizations exist that provide donations to supply healthcare and surgeries to low-income patients in developing nations. In addition, specific organizations like the Nuvasive Spine Foundation provide life-saving spine surgery in vulnerable regions around the world.

Although Pott’s Disease represents a small percentage of all tuberculosis cases, it is a serious illness. However, through the help of surgeons, medication and awareness, the disease can hopefully be treated across the globe soon.

– Grace Ganz
Photo: Flickr

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m-Health in Developing Countries

m-Health in developing countriesMobile healthcare, known colloquially as “m-Health,” just may be the key to revolutionizing healthcare and access to medicine in developing countries. m-Health allows anyone with a mobile device to access various facets of healthcare such as educational resources, notifications about nearby testing and vaccination diagnosis and symptom help and telehealth appointments.

Lacking access to healthcare is one of the major drivers of poverty across the world. The World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO) state that “at least half of the world’s population cannot obtain essential health services.” This inaccessibility perpetuates the existence of infectious diseases specific to developing countries. Similarly, poverty itself is a public health crisis. As indicated by the WHO, poverty directly causes sickness “because it forces people to live in environments that make them sick, without decent shelter, clean water or adequate sanitation.”

In addition, healthcare expenses cause 100 million people to fall into “extreme poverty.” Extreme poverty is defined as less than two dollars a day each year. Thus, even if people in developing countries can access to medical care, the expenses often put them into another devastating health situation.

However, m-Health may decrease these numbers. Read below for some key benefits of m-Health in developing countries.

m-Health is Adaptable and Available

m-Health is becoming more and more accessible to developing countries due to widespread mobile phone use around the world. A study from the PEW research center on global mobile phone ownership revealed that mobile phone ownership is growing in countries with developing economies. Around 83% of citizens in emerging economies (South Africa, Brazil, Philippines, Mexico, Tunisia, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria and India) own a mobile phone. Another PEW study found a majority of adults own their own mobile phones in a separate group of 11 developing countries.

67 countries in the world have less than two hospital beds per 1,000 people. However, many of those countries (including countries from the PEW research studies) have high rates of mobile phone ownership. Therefore, some developing countries would have better access to telehealth than in-person health.

In addition, m-Health is adaptable. WHO reported that the most widely-used m-Health initiatives around the world are “health call centers/ health care telephone helplines (59%), emergency toll-free telephone services (55%), emergencies (54%) and mobile telemedicine (49%).” This shows that different regions can implement different programs depending on the need.

m-Health Can Track Disease Outbreaks, Epidemics and Natural Disasters

Tracking disease outbreaks and natural disasters is a huge advantage of m-Health. WHO reported high implementation rates of this m-Health initiative in South East Asia and the Americas. Africa uses this feature of m-Health the most for public warning systems.

m-Health Avoids Poorly Maintained Health Clinics

In an article by the World Economic Forum, the author described how many health clinics in developing countries, particularly in Africa and Indonesia, may be doing more harm than good. If low-income countries rush to build multiple health facilities, the quality of these pop-up clinics is often low. They tend to be “lacking in the equipment, supplies and staff needed to deliver vital health services effectively.” In addition, the sheer volume of poorly-constructed clinics often competes for resources. Medical equipment is often left unsanitized, therefore becoming dangerous. This contributed to Ebola killing more people in health facilities than outside areas during the West African epidemic in 2014-2016.

However, m-Health reduces the need for going to an in-person clinic. In this model, concerned individuals can schedule a “virtual first” consultation and then attend an in-person appointment only if needed.

m-Health Raises Awareness and Mobilizes Communities to Receive Vaccines and Testing

Many countries have also implemented mass SMS alerts to alert their citizens of nearby testing sites for HIV. These alerts educate recipients on health concerns related to HIV and other infectious diseases. They also outline why it is necessary to receive testing and treatment. Similar alerts exist for vaccine knowledge and care.

As m-Health is a new and continuously developing idea, there are still problems with its potential to provide widespread care. For example, even though virtual appointments and care are possible through m-Health, many developing countries lack a sufficient number of health workers to keep up with m-Health services. One study affirms this, stating, “There are 57 countries with a critical shortage of healthcare workers, [creating] a deficit of 2.4 million doctors and nurses.”

In addition, different health conditions may receive disproportionate care through m-Health. For example, women’s and reproductive health is at a large deficit in the developing world and globally. One study revealed that “women are 21% less likely to own a mobile phone than men, and this difference is higher in South East Asia.” Another study in Kenya also reported that “ownership of mobile phones was 1.7 times and SMS-use was 1.6 times higher among males than among females.” This ownership deficit, coupled with the fact that women are more likely to be in poverty than men due to gender inequality, makes m-Health more accessible to men’s health or less gendered health issues.

Still, m-Health in developing countries is an extremely promising enterprise to relieve the developing world of its widespread healthcare deficits. As this study concludes “m-Health has shown incredible potential to improve health outcomes” – and it can only continue to progress from here.

– Grace Ganz
Photo: PXFuel

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Hunger in Comoros

Hunger in Comoros
Comoros is an archipelagic country in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar and the Mozambique Channel. With nearly 300 inhabitants per square mile, Comoros is densely populated, which often culminates in natural disasters that place intense pressures on food supply. Today, an estimated 44% of the population faces either moderate or severe food insecurity. Hunger in Comoros is therefore a precarious dilemma that requires immediate intervention. Without the appropriate aid, thousands of people – especially children – are at risk of health concerns or mortality.

Natural Disasters

The high population density of Comoros strains both natural resources and the environment. Combined with the nation’s topography and location, this puts the country at constant risk of a variety of natural disasters including tropical storms, cyclones, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides. Hydrometeorological disasters in particular are expected to increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change. Projections indicate that the average annual temperature will rise an estimated 1.35°C by 2040-2059, 0.8-2.1°C by the 2060s and 1.2-3.6°C by the 2090s, raising the risk of extreme heat and floods. 

While the impact of such disasters on food security is often observed in the destruction of food supply and arable land, the damage caused to transportation infrastructure obstructs local communities from access to key food products. In April 2019, Cyclone Kenneth damaged the substructure of Port Boingoma, one of the three major ports in the country, in addition to an estimated 10% of Comoros’s total road network. In 2023, the port was further degraded by Cyclone Cheneso, rendering it inaccessible an average of two working days per week. Due to ongoing transport issues, staples like seafood and rice in the Comorian diet have become unavailable or deteriorated beyond safe consumption. International commodities and goods that have managed to arrive without defects are subject to high prices to offset demand and transportation costs, excluding them from a vast majority of households in need. 

Despite rationing and periodical shipments offered as recent solutions to supply chain interruptions, many Comorians today still suffer from hunger. With more than two-thirds of the population residing in rural areas and thus dependent on imports for survival, natural disasters and the resulting fragmentation of interisland connectivity play a large role in Comoros’s current hunger levels.

Children

Children are one of the most food-insecure groups in Comoros. According to the World Bank, chronic malnutrition currently leads to stunting in 31 out of every 100 children. In the Bambao region, more than one in five children under 5 are stunted and more than 13% are underweight or wasted. Factors such as low economic productivity, high unemployment rates and low quality of health care have been identified as major contributors to undernutrition. Additionally, waterborne diseases and unsanitary drinking water infrastructure have been correlated with common child health concerns such as diarrhea. Lastly, challenges to maternal health during pregnancy, which are directly linked to high adult food insecurity levels, frequently result in complications during birth that increase the risk of chronic health conditions for children that can manifest in the years leading up to adulthood.

World Bank and UNICEF

Comoros is in dire need of structural reform to alleviate nationwide food insecurity levels. Fortunately, organizations such as the World Bank and UNICEF are dedicated to helping hungry households by implementing several initiatives designed to improve interisland connectivity and child health care. 

Formed in May 2022, the World Bank’s Comoros Interisland Connectivity Project prioritizes the strengthening of maritime transport resilience, connectivity and safety between the islands, specifically by rehabilitating Port Boingoma. The first phase of the project in 2022 primarily focused on constructing a breakwater to protect the port against waves, providing structural support to withstand extreme climates and maritime travel. Building upon the first phase, the second phase aims to expand port capacity, develop infrastructure at selected priority sites to assure safe passenger operations, and pilot a new passenger boat program. Although the project has yet to publish substantive metrics to illustrate its results, it hopes to establish overall improvements in the economy and reduce the likelihood of consumer product shortage throughout the archipelago by 2028.

Chiefly focused on improving the lives of children, UNICEF has continued to partner with Comoros’s Ministry of Health in a number of projects intended to reduce neonatal mortality and support child health service delivery. As of November 2023, UNICEF’s endorsement of the “kangaroo mother care” practice benefitted 1,478 preterm and low birth weight infants, resulting in a recovery rate of 90%. By implementing solar power in three Moheli health facilities, vital enhancements were made to medical infrastructure and quality of care, directly benefiting 15,452 women and 10,301 children under 5. UNICEF has also played a crucial role in boosting child nutrition rates throughout the country by distributing micronutrient supplements such as Vitamin A to an estimated 133,818 children.

Looking Ahead

The 2023 Global Hunger Index has categorized Comoros as having a level of hunger that is serious. The country’s high vulnerability to natural disasters places transportation systems at great risk of structural damage, resulting in the isolation of local communities that depend on trade for sustenance. Among the groups marginalized by systemic barriers, Comoran children are especially disadvantaged and often suffer from health conditions that arise from malnutrition such as stunting. However, organizations such as the World Bank and UNICEF are looking to provide innovative solutions to these issues by maximizing the use of their resources and existing state partnerships. Persistent intervention and reform by such groups will be the deciding factor for the relative health and security of Comorans in the years to come.

– Moon Jung Kim
Photo: Flickr

Updated: September 18, 2024

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10 Countries Facing Humanitarian Crises in 2020

,humanitarian crisesOur world today consists of 195 countries. The sheer volume of people on this planet and the scale of the problems they face can be overwhelming, especially when thinking of humanitarian aid. For this reason, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) began making a yearly emergency watchlist in 2019, highlighting which countries are facing humanitarian crises and require significant urgent aid.

The International Rescue Committee

The IRC has been around since the early 1900s and works globally to improve the lives of those impacted by global health issues, conflict, and natural disasters. They focus on empowering individuals to take back control of their lives. In their U.S. offices, the IRC provides aid to displaced individuals seeking asylum in the U.S.

Generating the List

The IRC analyzes a variety of factors to decide a nation’s human risk, natural risk, vulnerability, and ability to cope during a crisis. These factors are then used to decide which countries are most in danger of humanitarian crises and require the most aid.

10 Countries Facing Humanitarian Crises in 2020

  1. Yemen: Roughly 80% of Yemenis need humanitarian assistance this year, including more than 12 million children. Yemen has been in a civil war for 5 years that has destroyed infrastructure, sanitation systems, medical centers, food distribution capabilities, and has killed roughly 250,000 citizens. Global organizations such as UNICEF agree that the crisis in Yemen is the “largest humanitarian crisis in the world.”
  2. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): More than 15.9 million people in the DRC need humanitarian assistance this year. The Eastern DRC has been plagued with conflict and instability for nearly 30 years. This persistent instability has made it difficult for the country to develop infrastructure and food security. The current humanitarian risks in the DRC revolve around food security, Ebola, and Measles. To date, more than 2,000 people have died from Ebola in the DRC, making this the second-largest outbreak in the world.
  3. Syria: 11 million Syrians need humanitarian assistance this year. Since conflict broke out in 2011, more than half of the Syrian population has been displaced. Civilians have been caught in the crossfire of the war between President Assad and opposition groups. These years of conflict have caused extreme damage to Syrian infrastructure, including medical and educational resources.
  4. Nigeria: Close to 8 million Nigerians in the conflict-ridden states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe currently need humanitarian assistance, especially regarding sexual violence. Since 2009, roughly 13,000 civilians have died, and thousands of women and children have been assaulted. This year, 826 allegations of sexual abuse were presented in a report to the UN, but many believe that the number of cases is much higher. The northeast of Nigeria is seeing large levels of food insecurity, displacement, violence, and an outbreak of cholera.
  5. Venezuela: 7 million Venezuelans need humanitarian assistance this year. Due to political conflict, Venezuela is facing an economic crisis that has left 94% of households in poverty. Severe inflation has made the cost of basic goods so high that most Venezuelans cannot afford them. Because of this, an estimated 5,000 Venezuelans flee the country every day.
  6. Afghanistan: More than 9.4 million Afghans need humanitarian assistance this year. Since the 2001 NATO invasion that ousted the Taliban, Afghanistan has been experiencing political instability and conflict. The Taliban now controls more of the country than ever before, and after a failed peace deal in 2019, the country faces another contested election. An additional side effect of the conflict in Afghanistan has been a surge in mental illness. Although Afghanistan does not provide mental health reports, the World Health Administration estimates that more than a million Afghans suffer from depression and more than 1.2 million suffer from anxiety.
  7. South Sudan: More than 7.5 million people in South Sudan need humanitarian assistance this year. Since the civil conflict began in 2013, nearly 400,000 people have died, and millions have been displaced. South Sudan is also facing a massive food insecurity crisis that has been exacerbated by the conflict.
  8. Burkina Faso: In Burkina Faso, roughly 2.2 million people need humanitarian assistance, but the situation is drastically worsening. Armed groups are carrying out attacks throughout the nation. This caused the displacement of more than 500,000 people by the end of 2019. According to the UN 2019 report, the number of internally displaced people (IDFs) increased by 712% from January to December.
  9. Somalia: Roughly 5.2 million Somalis are currently in need of humanitarian assistance. Since the fall of President Muhammed Siad Barre in 1991, Somalia has been facing persistent instability and conflict. This conflict has led more than 740,000 people to flee the country. In addition, Somalia is extremely vulnerable to natural disasters due to its underdevelopment.
  10. Central African Republic (CAR): More than 2.6 million Central Africans need humanitarian assistance this year. In 2013, an armed alliance called the Seleka overran the capital of the CAR. Political instability has been rampant ever since. More than a quarter of all Central Africans were displaced, causing food insecurity and underdevelopment.

Although the countries on this watchlist represent 6% of the world’s population, they comprise 55% of those identified to be in need by the 2020 Global Humanitarian Overview. The IRC’s watchlist is an extremely helpful resource that should be utilized for the assessment of which countries are facing humanitarian crises and require foreign aid.

– Danielle Forrey
Photo: Pixabay

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Healthcare in Ecuador

healthcare in Ecuador
Located in South America, the country of Ecuador is culturally diverse, comprising of approximately 17.6 million people. As of 2017, an estimated 8.7% of the total population lives in poverty. Despite some of the impoverished conditions, most people do have access to healthcare in Ecuador. The major cities in particular, such as Cuenca, Quito and Guayaquil, have excellent medical care. From top-notch facilities to highly skilled doctors, Ecuador earns its spot as having the 20th most efficient healthcare system in the world.

Prominent Diseases in Ecuador

The most common diseases found in Ecuador are Hepatitis A, Typhoid Fever and Dengue Fever. Hepatitis A is a disease of the liver which can lead to liver failure. It can be caused by contaminated food and water. Impoverished Ecuadorians are at the most risk of contracting Hepatitis A. They do not have access to clean water or nutritious food. Typhoid Fever is a bacterial infection transmitted from human to human. It is caused by poor hygiene, placing impoverished Ecuadorians with a lack of proper sanitation at a higher risk of contracting the disease. Dengue Fever is a disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes and causes serious bleeding, shock, high fever, skin rash and muscle pain. The disease affects the bloodstream and can be deadly. Ecuadorians living in poverty do not have access to proper preventive measures to avoid contracting diseases like Typhoid Fever and Dengue Fever.

Health Insurance in Ecuador

Health insurance in Ecuador is surprisingly inexpensive. As of 2017, has been made mandatory for all Ecuadorians under the age of 65. Compared to health insurance in the United States, Ecuador’s insurance policies are considered a bargain by many. For example, an American would pay $1,200 per month for health insurance. However, an Ecuadorian would pay 18 times less for the exact same plan, approximately paying around $70 per month for their health insurance.

The drastic difference in health insurance cost can also be seen in coverage for dependent children. Coverage for an Ecuadorian child costs only $15.69 per month. Regardless of the low expense for healthcare in Ecuador, impoverished Ecuadorians still cannot afford to pay for healthcare. Approximately 8.7% of the population of Ecuador lives on less than $3.20 per day. This is not enough to feed the family and pay for healthcare.

For all working men and women, both in the public and private sectors, the National Social Security Institute provides medical and hospital insurance. It includes clinics and dispensaries, surgical and mortgage loans, retirement pensions and support for widows and dependent children. Ecuadorians are provided services with low costs and high quality. Despite the low-cost availability of health care, the number of doctors in Ecuador is fairly low. Compared to the United States, which has a doctor to patient ratio of 5.5 to 1,000, Ecuador’s ratio is only 1.72 doctors for 1,000 persons. Like most countries, remote areas in Ecuador have less sophisticated treatment than urban areas. Health care is significantly better in urban cities, where 66% of the population lives.

A Continual Work in Progress

While advancements to healthcare in Ecuador has improved the overall well-being of the country, there is still a need for progress. Only a small portion of the total national budget is allocated to public health which has caused health conditions in rural areas to be fairly poor. As of 2008, the law that mandated universal healthcare for all has allowed more Ecuadorians to seek care if needed. This is specifically true for those in impoverished areas. A continuing shortage of medical personnel, equipment and medicine, has lowered the overall standards for medical care in Ecuador. Organizations like International Medical Aid has worked tirelessly on bringing medical supplies and services to Ecuador and its citizens, reaching additionally 5% of the total population. Mobile healthcare facilities and outreach programs have been key in improving health in Ecuador.

Still a long way to go, healthcare in Ecuador has continued to improve in the overall availability and quality of service. There have been a lot of positives, specifically in health insurance for the citizens of Ecuador. Yet, plentiful supplies and personnel remain a primary concern. Help from organizations like IMA has improved the overall conditions of healthcare in Ecuador as impoverished areas begin to see an increase in healthcare opportunities.

– Jacey Reece
Photo: Flickr

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COVAX Initiative: The WHO Global Alliance to Create a People’s Vaccine

COVAX InitiativeThe COVID-19 pandemic arrived on the world scene at an inopportune time in terms of international relations, given the current state of global division and isolationist nationalism. Cooperation between nations is extremely important in containing a pandemic. However, this sentiment was sparse during the early stages of the virus’ spread due to the prevailing geopolitical climate. Now that COVID has expanded across the world and endangered millions, international cooperation is perhaps more important than ever in the urgent search for a vaccine. The World Health Organization, GAVI and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) have united to form the COVAX Initiative: a program providing promise for both global teamwork and COVID mitigation.

What is the COVAX Initiative?

According to the WHO, COVAX is a coalition designed to “…accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world.” The goal of the COVAX Initiative is twofold: to facilitate the creation of a vaccine and to ensure any eventual vaccine is made available to as many people as possible, regardless of national identity or socioeconomic status.

While many wealthy countries may succeed in vaccinating their populations without assistance from COVAX, all nations would still benefit from the Initiative: recent events have proven that in order to guarantee true safety from COVID-19, the disease must be eradicated worldwide. Thus, it is in everyone’s interest to provide access to as many people as possible. COVAX is working to create a coalition of member nations, both wealthy and poor, to achieve this mission.

Current Member Countries

A total of 172 countries have joined the COVAX Initiative so far. 80 wealthy countries have made commitments to the Initiative, including the UK, Norway and Japan. Additionally, 92 lower-income countries including Afghanistan, the Philippines and Yemen have become involved. According to the Director-General of the WHO Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, COVID presents a challenge that necessitates an unprecedented level of international cooperation.

Life-Saving Potential

COVAX aims to deliver two billion vaccine doses by the end of 2021. Currently, the COVAX Initiative has nine vaccines under development and is evaluating nine more. According to the WHO, these innovations imply that the Initiative has “…the largest and most diverse COVID-19 vaccine portfolio in the world.”

Healthcare workers will recieve the first round of vaccinations; higher-risk patients will receive the second round. Member nations will recieve doses in amounts proportional to their population. To ensure widespread delivery of the vaccine, the Initiative plans to help fund infrastructure development as necessary in poorer member countries.

The COVAX Initiative is built on the idea that, for anyone to be safe from COVID-19, everyone must be safe. The Initiative represents a positive step towards international cooperation, a crucial aspect of effectively eradicating this destructive and deadly pandemic. Once a functional vaccine is in circulation, the world’s poor will likely have the least access. This structural inequity means that projects like COVAX could save countless lives and prevent future resurgences of COVID.

– Dylan Weir
Photo: Wikimedia

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New Zealand Government Provides Free Sanitary Products in Schools

New Zealand Government Combats Period Poverty By Providing Free Sanitary Products to Schools

The New Zealand government is combating period poverty by providing free sanitary products in schools, according to the Ministry of Education. This announcement comes after a 2.6 million dollar investment by the government. The plan will be introduced in select schools around the country but is expected to reach every school in New Zealand by 2021.

The government hopes that this new initiative will create fewer barriers for people seeking education and healthcare. There is resistance towards addressing these issues because menstruation is considered a “taboo” topic. By following in the footsteps of other countries, New Zealand is setting an example that combating period poverty addresses poverty as a whole.

What is Period Poverty?

Period poverty occurs when people who menstruate can’t afford products like tampons and pads, hindering their ability to continue living a normal life while on their period. Currently, there is a “pink tax” on sanitary products like pads and tampons. Some say this tax is gender-based discrimination because it prevents low-income menstruators from accessing sanitary products, inhibiting them from going to school or work. In New Zealand, 95,000 girls between the ages of 9 and 18 stay home from school, and 1 in 12 girls missed school because of a lack of access to period products.

New Zealand is following in the footsteps of Scotland and England, who have also made plans to tackle period poverty through government initiatives such as universal access to period products through new laws and legislation. Worldwide, 2.3 billion people don’t have adequate access to sanitary products. This isn’t just an issue in developing countries, as many wealthy nations like the United States, the UK, and Australia also have high numbers of period poverty rates.

The New Zealand government is using this initiative as a catalyst for ending child poverty in their country. Through the work of Dignity New Zealand, a non-profit that aims to help provide sanitary products, the conversation of period poverty reached the spotlight before the government’s intervention. Dignity New Zealand commented that while the government’s steps are important, it is only the beginning of the fight to end poverty on all levels.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stated that the government is taking action because she wants to support kids in school. The ability of students to thrive in school is hindered if they have to miss several days out of each month because of their period. Ardern hopes that with this new ruling, period poverty will decrease and students will be more focused on their studies.

Education is necessary for ending the stigma surrounding menstruation. Lack of proper education about menstruation and hygiene can lead to various health problems and make women more vulnerable to violence and pregnancy complications as a result.

What Else is Necessary for Fighting Period Poverty?

Furthermore, alleviating period poverty goes beyond simply providing menstruation products. It also means providing adequate access to hygienic facilities, toilet paper, and proper education around proper health and hygiene practices.

New Zealand’s addressing period poverty as a means to alleviate poverty in their country highlights the ways in which global poverty can be addressed on a smaller scale. By providing free sanitary products in schools, New Zealand is setting an example for other countries to follow in order to destigmatize menstruation.

–  Xenia Gonikberg
Photo: Flickr

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Training Program For Health Workers in sub-Saharan Africa

Health Workers in Sub-Saharan Africa
Johnson & Johnson announced a new collaboration in June 2020, to provide training and knowledge to health workers in sub-Saharan Africa in the wake of COVID-19. They will partner with The World Continuing Education Alliance, The Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery East Africa and the International Council of Nurses to provide up-to-date information and resources to those on the front lines of the pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa.

The training program will be delivered through an application and aims to reach 600,000 healthcare workers — mainly nurses, doctors and midwives. The program includes six different modules available in three different languages: English, French and Arabic.

Partnering in 10 Different Countries

Johnson & Johnson will fund the programs’ introduction to 10 countries that it deems as a priority. These countries include Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal and South Africa. Programs have since become available in Egypt, Haiti, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Jordan, Guyana, Malawi and Tanzania — among others. Furthermore, there is a training option for countries not specifically listed.

Aga Khan University developed the modules and the World Continuing Education Alliance digitized and customized the curriculum. Its website now hosts two options for the workshops: one is for doctors and the other is for midwives and nurses. Through their collaborations with similar and broader-scope organizations, the International Council of Nurses has offered its support. The School of Nursing and Midwifery ensures those professionals in urban and remote areas alike have access to the modules.

Support For Front-Line Healthcare Workers

The new program’s introduction comes as the new coronavirus infections grow across Africa. The virus continues to infect more healthcare workers. While there are still scant resources available about infections among healthcare workers, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 10,000 health workers have been infected in 40 countries across Africa.

At least 10% of all infections are comprised of health workers in sub-Saharan Africa, concerning four specific countries. In 10 additional sub-Saharan countries, that figure is at least 5%. This puts a strain on the resources these countries have since several countries have less than one medical doctor for every 10,000 people. According to the WHO, countries that fall under this category include Mozambique, Tanzania, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Chad, Central African Republic and Niger — again, among others.

According to the WHO, some of the causes of rising infections among health workers include lack of access to personal protective equipment (PPE), lack of education programs (and lack of implementation of such programs with health workers) and lack of medical infrastructure. Additionally, more than 90% of 30,000 healthcare facilities analyzed throughout Africa could not establish quarantine or triage units. According to WHO, 84% of facilities did not have adequate infection and control measures in place.

Training Workers and Providing PPE

As a result, the WHO trained 50,000 healthcare workers and arranged for 41 million tons of PPE to be shipped to 47 countries in Africa. Moreover, the WHO plans to train 200,000 additional workers. The organization notes that from May to July 2020, Sierra Leone went from 16% of all infections being among health workers to just 9%.

Similar to the WHO, Johnson & Johnson’s collaborative effort seeks to educate health workers in sub-Saharan Africa by providing them with the knowledge they need to treat patients and stop the spread of a pandemic.

– Bryan Boggiano
Photo: Flickr