Archive for category: Health

Information and stories on health topics.

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The Accomplishment of Polio Eradication in Africa

Polio Eradicated in Africa
On August 25, 2020, the World Health Organization officially declared the African continent free of wild poliovirus after reports of zero cases since August 2016. This achievement comes after decades of ambitious initiatives that distributed vaccinations to the African population in an effort to stop polio’s spread. In what many are describing as a “momentous milestone,” the news of polio eradication in Africa provides hope that other preventable diseases will one day be eliminated too.

What is Polio?

Polio, the disease that the poliovirus causes, is a highly contagious and potentially deadly illness commonly spread through feces. While one in four people infected merely experience a flu-like illness or are asymptomatic, polio presents serious symptoms to vulnerable populations, especially children.

Severe symptoms that people associate with polio include paresthesia, meningitis and paralysis. Paralysis, the most dangerous and most well-known, occurs in roughly one out of every 200 cases. The muscle and nerve damage that these side effects cause can permanently disable or even kill an infected person if vital organs, like the lungs, become paralyzed. Even after recovering, many younger patients suffer post-polio syndrome (PSP) which may cause muscle pain, weakness or paralysis in adulthood.

In the early ’90s, an estimated 75,000 African children became paralyzed each year due to polio. Due to Africa’s poor healthcare system and sanitation infrastructure, preventing the disease’s spread proved difficult. There is currently no known cure or treatment for polio, making it especially dangerous for children in poor regions suffering other medical issues like malnutrition. However, through multinational and multi-organizational efforts, polio rates began to decline as immunization rates rose.

How Did Africa Eradicate Polio?

The fight toward polio eradication in Africa began with the creation of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988, followed by Nelson Mandela’s Kick Polio Out of Africa campaign in 1996. These efforts aimed to combine resources from governments, U.N. bodies and organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to sponsor massive surveillance and immunization campaigns throughout the continent.

The combined efforts of these groups brought nearly 9 billion polio vaccines to Africa, according to the World Health Organization. Braving wilderness and war zones including territory held by the terrorist group Boko Haram, 2 million volunteers from organizations like Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF and Gavi immunized even the most isolated African villages.

The report of the most recent wild polio case was in August 2016 in northeastern Nigeria, within Boko Haram territory. However, the Nigerian government and outside supporters were able to quell the outbreak’s spread; since then, zero wild polio cases have occurred in Africa. This years-long feat allowed the World Health Organization to declare polio in Africa eradicated in 2020, a major feat for the continent’s residents and healthcare systems.

What Now?

Estimates determine that international efforts to defeat wild poliovirus in Africa have averted 1.8 million cases and 180,000 deaths. However, these figures only apply to the wild poliovirus—they fail to account for vaccine-derived polio.

There are two main types of polio vaccinations: oral and injected. Because the oral polio vaccination is much cheaper, it is most commonly used for widespread polio immunization campaigns in developing countries. However, this vaccine relies on a weakened version of the poliovirus to immunize rather than the inactive virus utilized by the injected vaccine. This disparity has led to occasional outbreaks of vaccine-derived polio in some African nations.

Currently, GPEI and its associated NGOs in Africa are working to curb any vaccine-derived polio outbreaks while frequently updating vaccinations for vulnerable children. There are only two remaining countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, that have reported cases of wild polio in the past 12 months. However, by following Africa’s lead and adopting immunization initiatives, there is hope that wild polio can subside permanently in all countries.

– Aidan Sun
Photo: Flickr

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George Mason University Professor Researches Obesity in Kenya

George Mason University Professor Researches Obesity in Kenya

For more than 10 years, Dr. Constance Gewa, a George Mason University professor and nutrition expert, has researched food security in her home country, Kenya. With each study, she has shined a light on different aspects of nutrition for women and children in the country. In 2019, when she returned for further research about obesity in Kenya, she came with more than questions — she brought some answers, too. 

Although Kenya has the classification of being a low-income country, the number of citizens struggling with obesity in Kenya is beginning to rise. This comes as a result of globalization and a growing international market. According to Gewa, Kenya is experiencing a nutritional transition as the country is importing more than it is exporting. Having previously survived on its own market and agriculture, Kenya now stocks stores with cereal, instant noodles, chips and cookies. These foods have cheaper prices and are extremely accessible to children, whose schools often provide them. However, they can also lead to obesity. 

Childhood Obesity in Kenya

In 2009, Gewa published a study titled Childhood overweight and obesity among Kenyan pre-school children: association with maternal and early child nutrition factors that addressed Kenya’s need to prevent overnutrition as well as treat malnourishment. Of the almost 1,500 children aged 3 to 5 whom she studied, Gewa found 18% to be overweight and 4% to be obese.

This may be due to mothers’ nutrition. A child whose mother is overweight due to a poor diet is 83% to 112% more likely to become obese. Gewa found that factors such as the duration the child exclusively breastfed were also important. She determined that children who solely breastfed for more than 24 months had a 45% decrease in obesity risk. In other cases, a mother believes that breastfeeding will not nourish her child enough and prematurely introduces other foods into the child’s diet. Popular alternatives to breastmilk include infant formula, solid food like bananas and rice as well as cow’s milk. All of these foods are too high in calories for the child, resulting in weight gain.

Mothers with a lower income and education are more likely to breastfeed, and therefore give their child a lower risk of becoming obese. A mother with primary or higher education will typically have a higher income, allowing her to purchase other foods to supplement breastfeeding. However, this does not mean that children living on a lower income are immune to the dangers of obesity in Kenya. Processed and fried foods are becoming cheaper and more accessible. Some Kenyans have explained that french fries and donuts are cheaper than fresh produce, and they cannot afford to prioritize nutrition.

Breastfeeding and Traditional Food

In 2016, Gewa published two papers. The first investigated maternal knowledge and the cessation of breastfeeding. From this study, Gewa concluded that early breastfeeding practices, a mother’s understanding of the recommendations regarding breastfeeding, the health of the child as well as the mother and social acceptability all determine how long a mother exclusively breastfeeds. If a mother is knowledgeable of the benefits of breastfeeding and feels comfortable breastfeeding at home and in public, she is more likely to breastfeed for a longer duration.

Gewa’s second 2016 study examined maternal beliefs and accessibility to indigenous and traditional food. Her research indicated that less than 60% of Kenyan mothers consumed indigenous traditional foods (ITF), but 52% wished they could eat more of this food. They attributed their lack of ITF consumption to inaccessibility, high prices and poor taste. Gewa stated that when Kenyan health officials discuss food security, they must consider both malnourishment and obesity to avoid “moving from one problem to another.”

Reducing Obesity in Kenya

From these studies, Gewa argues that education on proper nutrition and efforts to make healthy foods affordable are necessary to reduce obesity in Kenya. She used this knowledge to return to Kenya and use her research to spark change. On her return to Kenya, Gewa said, “It is important for study participants and communities to become aware of the research findings because they are stakeholders. I believe that sharing research findings motivates community ownership and participation in identifying solutions.” When Gewa met with the people represented in her study, they were surprised and grateful for her return — they told her no one had ever come back before.

To Gewa, the research is just the beginning. In addition to analyzing obesity in Kenya, Gewa’s work calls for discussion and works with those directly affected to create a greater impact. Local health officials and Kenya’s administration have found an open channel of communication with their constituents through Gewa’s research. While obesity in Kenya remains an issue, it is encouraging to see these steps in the right direction toward health and nutrition prioritization.

 – Alexa Tironi
Photo: Flickr

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What the Numbers Don’t Reveal About COVID-19 in Africa

COVID-19 in AfricaOn a world map of the distribution of COVID-19 cases, the situation looks pretty optimistic for Africa. While parts of Europe, Asia and the United States are shaded by dark colors that implicate a higher infection rate, most African countries appear faint. This has created uncertainty over whether or not the impact of COVID-19 in Africa is as severe as other continents.

Lack of Testing

A closer look at the areas wearing light shades reveals that their situation is just as obscure as the faded shades that color them. Dark spots indicate more infections in places like the U.S. However, in Africa these are usually just cities and urban locations, often the only places where testing is available.

Although insufficient testing has been a problem for countries all over the world, testing numbers are much lower in Africa. The U.S carries out 205 per 100,000 people a day. Nigeria, the most populous country, carries one test per 100,000 people every day. While 8.87% of tests come back positive in the U.S, 15.69% are positive in Nigeria (as of Aug. 4, 2020). Nigeria was one of 10 countries that carried out 80% of the total number of tests in Africa.

As a continent that accounts for 1.2 billion of the world’s population, the impact of COVID-19 in Africa is even more difficult to measure without additional testing. To improve this, the African CDC has set a goal of increasing testing by 1% per month. Realizing the impossibility of reliable testing, countries like Uganda have managed to slow the spread by imposing strict lockdown measures. As a result, the percentage of positive cases in Uganda was only 0.82% (as of Aug. 4, 2020).

A Resistant Population

COVID-19 in Africa has had a lower fatality rate than any other continent. Fatality rates may even be lower than reported. Immunologists in Malawi found that 12% of asymptomatic healthcare workers were infected by the virus at some point. The researchers compared their data with other countries and estimated that death rates were eight times lower than expected.

The most likely reason for the low fatality rate is the young population. Only 3% of Africans are above 65 compared with 6% in South Asia and 17% in Europe. Researchers are investigating other explanations such as the possible immunity to variations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as well as higher vitamin D in Africans with more sunlight exposure.

Weak Healthcare Systems

Despite these factors, the impact of COVID-19 in Africa is likely high. Under-reporting and under-equipped hospitals contribute to unreliable figures. Most hospitals are not prepared to handle a surge in cases. In South Sudan, there were only four ventilators and 24 ICU beds for a population of 12 million. Accounting for 23% of the world’s diseases and only 1% of global public health expenditure, Africa’s healthcare system was already strained.

Healthcare workers have the most risk of infection in every country. In Africa, the shortage of masks, equipment and capacity increases the infection rate further amongst healthcare workers. Africa also has the lowest physician to patient ratios in the world. As it can take weeks to recover from COVID-19, the recovery of healthcare workers means less are available to work.

Additionally, those that are at-risk and uninsured can rarely afford life-saving treatment in Africa. For example, a drug called remdesivir showed promising results in treating COVID-19. However, the cost of treatment with remdesivir is $3,120 – an unmanageable price for the majority of Africans. These factors will determine the severity of COVID-19 in Africa.

Economic and Psychological Factors

Strict lockdowns have helped some nations in controlling the spread of COVID-19 in Africa but at a very great price.

Lack of technology often means that all students stop learning and many lose their jobs. More than three million South Africans have become unemployed due to the lockdown. The lockdowns have also resulted in much higher rates of domestic violence, abuse and child marriage. Many such cases go unreported and mental health services for victims or those struggling through the pandemic are unavailable. In Kenya, the U.N. has appealed for $4 million to support those affected by gender-based violence.

The slow spread of COVID-19 in Africa has allowed the continent and leaders to prepare, and the young population will lessen the impact. Although there’s reason to be hopeful, there’s no doubt that there will be an impact on Africa’s economy and future. This calls for the need of foreign assistance – not only in controlling COVID-19 in Africa but in the recovery of the continent for years to come.

– Beti Sharew
Photo: Flickr

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How Food Insecurity Harms Indigenous Australians

Indigenous Australians
Many generally regard Australia as a wealthy and successful country, but in the past year, more than one in five Australians (about 22%) have faced food insecurity. Indigenous Australians experience food insecurity at a disproportionate rate. More than 26% of Indigenous households ran out of food at least once in 2019 and were unable to buy more due to high prices. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS) found that percentage to be even higher at 43% in remote Indigenous communities.

Who Are the Indigenous Australians?

Indigenous Australians are the descendants of people who lived in Australia and the surrounding areas prior to European colonization in the late 18th century. They comprise approximately 3% of the total population of Australia and have classification under two groups of Indigenous communities: the Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders. One-third of all Indigenous Australians live in developed cities, while two-thirds live in rural areas across the country.

What Causes Food Insecurity for Indigenous Peoples?

Reports from locals of moldy produce and overpriced food have been surfacing in sparsely populated areas, prompting questions about the quality of food provided to the Indigenous communities of Australia. At the heart of the conversation is Outback Stores, a not-for-profit and federally funded grocery store chain. The organization emerged to supply Indigenous Australians with access to a wide array of healthy, high-quality food and protect against food insecurity, but locals say it is failing.

Outback Stores has 40 locations that serve rural and remote communities, 26 of which CEO Michael Borg called “unviable or barely viable.” Submissions to the local federal inquiry have claimed “disgusting” pricing of products, saying items such as a can of baby formula and a single pack of diapers are tagged at $50 each. Many available products are also either inedible or unwanted, deterring people from purchasing them even if they could afford to. Many community members have reported that week-old fruits and vegetables rotting in fridges are the only healthy produce options and shelves contain bags of sugar. One resident wrote that Spam, two-minute noodles and white bread were the only food staples available if you were “hungry enough to buy what is in [front] of you.”

How Does Food Insecurity Connect to Poverty?

Health and well-being are also a large concern with food insecurity. Indigenous Australians are twice as likely to live with a chronic illness or other disability compared to non-Indigenous Australians. A prolonged lack of access to healthy food causes subsequent poor nutrition and results in heightened illness and disease rates in Indigenous communities.

Rural Indigenous peoples live in more poverty compared to urban Australians, and they face limited access to work opportunities, education and social services. Poverty is the strongest factor in predicting food insecurity, as determined by the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR). The CAEPR found that a lack of money to keep up with growing food prices is the primary culprit of food insecurity, not a lack of food supply to the community.

What Organizations are Helping?

The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) emerged in 2019 to protect Indigenous people and support ethical policy development and service delivery in their communities. Representatives of the NIAA have reached out to over 200 store managers that serve Indigenous peoples in order to fully understand their needs and how to best allocate funding and resources. The NIAA’s goal is to identify problems that directly affect Indigenous Australians and make them a priority in state, territory and national government agendas.

In addition, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has the task of closely monitoring the prices of essential products to guard against inflation in Indigenous communities. In recent investigations into the complaints of overpricing, the ACCC found that product prices reflect the increased cost of supplying inventory to the stores, not stores attempting to increase profits. Since many Indigenous communities live within hundreds of miles inside the Australian outback, swift deliveries to the area are a challenge. As a result, the Australian government is striving to improve the supply chain costs of rural vendors serving Indigenous communities.

Indigenous Australians face food insecurity at a disproportionate rate compared to non-Indigenous Australians. Many Indigenous peoples are struggling to feed their families as rural supermarket prices continue to rise and healthy options are few and far between. The Australian government and departments like the NIAA are partnering with Indigenous communities to create a cheaper and healthier food supply, combat food insecurity and protect the health and well-being of their Indigenous people.

– Mya Longacre
Photo: Pixabay

Improving Healthcare in Macedonia

Psychiatric hospital Skopje, Macedonia
Healthcare in Macedonia utilizes a mixture of a public and private healthcare system. All residents are eligible to receive free state-funded healthcare and have the option of receiving private healthcare for treatments that the public system does not cover. Public healthcare in Macedonia often comes with long wait times and although public hospitals have basic medical supplies, they do not have specialized treatments. For these specialized treatments, residents typically seek private treatment where they must pay out of pocket or buy private insurance on top of their free healthcare.

Improvements in Overall Health

North Macedonia did not become a part of NATO until 2019, and still has not received admission into the E.U. As a result, its healthcare system has developed slower than member countries. Despite this, North Macedonia has shown growth in overall health. The introduction of private healthcare allowed residents to seek a wider range of treatments and cut down wait times. Life expectancy has grown from 71.7 years in 1991 to 75.1 years in 2010. However, this is still lower than the E.U.’s average life expectancy which is 80.2.  Although life expectancy has grown, North Macedonia’s infant mortality rate is still above average.

North Macedonia reached a European record of 14.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2015. To compare, the average mortality rate in Europe for 2015 was 5.2 deaths per 1,000 live births. The high infant mortality rate is likely the result of outdated equipment at public health facilities and a shortage of qualified health workers. Only 6.5% of North Macedonia’s GDP goes towards healthcare, and therefore healthcare in Macedonia is often reliant on outside donations. These conditions have caused health workers to leave the Macedonian healthcare system in search of better working conditions. The health ministry has worked to purchase new equipment as well as increase the amount of qualified staff in public hospitals by hiring more workers. Today, the infant mortality rate in North Macedonia is 10.102 deaths per 1,000 births. This is an improvement, and hopefully, with continued programs, the numbers will continue to decrease. Organizations such as Project HOPE and WHO have already made a direct impact on Macedonia’s healthcare system.

Organizations Combating Infant Mortality

Project HOPE has donated over $80 million worth of medicines, medical supplies and medical equipment to hospitals throughout North Macedonia since 2007. Starting in 2017, most of these donations went to hospitals specializing in infant care. Project HOPE also provides training for healthcare workers so they can adapt to the updated equipment. The current drop in the infant mortality rate is due to these donations that allow hospitals to buy updated equipment and retain healthcare workers through training. There is only one hospital in North Macedonia that accepts low birth-rate and premature babies, University Clinical Center at Mother Theresa. Therefore, Project HOPE’s donation has greatly lessened the burden on this hospital to care for infants. Since Project HOPE implemented this program, the number of deliveries at Mother Theresa has increased by 40%.

WHO has also assisted North Macedonia in developing a new 2020 healthcare plan for infants and mothers. This plan would link healthcare facilities in the country and classify them by level of service to ensure everyone is receiving the appropriate care. It should also improve transportation between hospitals to increase the continuity of care between locations. This shared communication and learning between healthcare facilities is imperative since there are only nine hospitals in Macedonia for 2.08 million people and seven of those hospitals are in the country’s capital, Skopje. Increasing transportation and communication will ensure that those living outside of the capital are receiving quality healthcare. Slowly but surely with these new policies in place, North Macedonia’s infant mortality rate will continue to drop.

– Rae Brozovich
Photo: Flickr

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7 Facts About Healthcare in Uzbekistan

Healthcare in UzbekistanUzbekistan is a former Soviet country and many consider it to be the population center of Asia with a young population. Since its independence in 1991, the country has diversified its agriculture, while keeping a significant agricultural base to its economy. The quality of healthcare in Uzbekistan endured a drop after its independence from the USSR but now is on the upward trend, even though it remains low in global rankings. Here are seven facts about healthcare in Uzbekistan.

7 Facts About Healthcare in Uzbekistan

  1. Under Soviet control, all healthcare in Uzbekistan was free. However, the government focused on access and less on outcome, leading to weaknesses when dealing with sickness and disease, especially in rural communities. Meanwhile, about 27% of hospitals in rural areas had no sewage and 17% had no access to running water, while doctors received 70% of the salary of a farmer, a common Uzbek job. Now, reforms focused on rural areas have improved conditions in all hospitals, and doctors now make 26 times the amount of a rural farmer.
  2. In Uzbekistan, most people rely on public healthcare providers, organized in three layers: national, regional and city. Private healthcare is minimal due to unsafe practices in treatment and surgery. As a result, the government is the principal employer of health workers, as well as the primary purchaser and provider of health-related goods and services.
  3. Spending on healthcare in Uzbekistan has increased from the country’s independence in 1991, as the country aimed to westernize and reform. Uzbekistan’s current health expenditure is 6.4%. The government health spending increased from $36 to $85 per person; out of pocket spending almost doubled from $37 to $69 per person, and developmental assistance doubled from $3 to $7 per person in the 30 years from its independence. The increased funding led to higher availability in healthcare, especially in rural areas, and better quality of care.
  4. In the past 30 years, Uzbekistan has implemented healthcare reforms in rural areas. Some improvements include increasing sanitation levels in hospitals and healthcare availability, allowing for all patients to get better care. Overall, the under-5 mortality rate has decreased by 50%, and healthcare access and quality (HAQ) grew from 50.3 to 62.9 from 1990 to now.
  5. The physician’s density is low, at 2.37/1000 people, mostly due to the emigration of skilled professionals, even though the median pay for physicians has sharply increased to about $13,000 a year. On the other hand, the hospital bed density is higher than in some highly developed countries, such as the United States, at four for every 1,000 people.
  6. Uzbekistan ranks low in maternal and infant mortality. At 29 deaths out of 100,000, it ranks 114 in maternal mortality. At 16.3 deaths out of 1,000, it ranks 93 in infant mortality. Although its healthcare system has gotten better with reforms in sanitation and access to healthcare, Uzbekistan still needs to create more improvements, as the mortality rate is still high.
  7. Uzbekistan is also low-ranking in adult health. The country holds the rank of 125 in life expectancy, with an average lifespan of 74.8 years. As for the quality of health, Uzbekistan ranks 115 in HIV/AIDS, with a prevalence of 0.2% and ranks 123 in obesity, with a prevalence of 16.6%.

Project Hope

Uzbekistan has not accomplished everything on its own. Many charities have worked with Uzbekistan, such as Project Hope. In 1999, Project Hope established its first office in Uzbekistan, with a focus on reducing child and maternal mortality rates, through the Child Survival Program and Healthy Family Program. It created initiatives, as well as opportunities for sexual education for the new mothers. Since then, under the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Project Hope has focused on creating opportunities for AIDS-focused healthcare and education.

Uzbekistan has made progress in healthcare from the time of its independence, but it still has a long way to go. As Uzbekistan’s government continues to implement reforms heavily focusing on rural areas, it will most likely continue on its upward trajectory and create a health system that is beneficial to all of its citizens. As healthcare grows, poverty will decrease. Currently, Uzbekistan’s most poor are in rural areas, the areas with the least access to healthcare, as well as the lowest levels of sanitation. If Uzbekistan continues making reforms, rural areas will receive more healthcare, decreasing the disadvantage of living there, and therefore increasing the quality of life for Uzbekistan’s poor.

– Seona Maskara
Photo: Flickr

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Providing Cataract Surgery to People in Poverty

Cataract Surgery to People in Poverty
Of the five senses, vision is arguably the most important. People perceive 80% of impressions through sight. Vision helps people determine if a situation is dangerous, or helps them find a familiar face in a crowd. Without vision, life becomes more difficult to navigate. Cataracts are a natural, age-related disease that all people will experience if they live long enough. In developed countries, it is easy for people to access care to remove cataracts; however, the process is much more difficult in underdeveloped countries. Here is some information about cataracts and the groups providing cataract surgery to people in extreme poverty, specifically in the country of Nigeria.

What are Cataracts?

Inside a person’s eye is a lens. The lens is located behind the iris or the colored part of the eye. Light travels through the pupil—the dark hole in the center of the iris—and the lens focuses it onto the retina, which sends the image to the brain. The lens is normally clear, but cataracts cause it to become cloudy and opaque so that light can not penetrate through the lens as well. This obstruction causes the vision to become blurry and dark.

Who Do Cataracts Affect?

According to the World Health Organization, at least 2.2 billion people currently experience vision impairment or blindness. Of those individuals, 65.2 million experience blindness from cataracts and 52.6 million have vision impairment from cataracts. About 99% of people with cataracts live in developing countries.

Although aging is the most common cause of cataracts, several factors speed up the process. When people work outdoors and are consistently in the sun, their eyes have exposure to UV light rays which are incredibly harmful and aid in cataract production.

Agricultural jobs make up 54% of the workforce in Africa, meaning many people are outdoors for long periods of time. About 600,000 Africans experience blindness each year due to cataracts. Yet, of the entire African population, only about 0.0005% get cataract surgery. In comparison, 7.5% of Americans aged 65 or older undergo cataract surgery each year. However, with limited ophthalmologists and expensive medical fees, the people of Sub-Saharan Africa, including those in Nigeria, lack access to this otherwise commonly performed surgery. Fortunately, several institutions are providing cataract surgery to people in extreme poverty.

See International

The more developed a cataract becomes, the harder it is for affected individuals to see, work and take care of themselves. One organization, SEE International, provides “essential and transformative eye care and surgery around the world,” through programs connecting volunteers and medical professionals to the people who need their services most. Nigeria is one of the top 10 most populated countries in the world but has limited access to eye care specialists. There is only one eye doctor available per million people in urban areas. In rural areas, which encompass 70% of the population, the ratio is even lower. SEE hosts several clinics a year in Port Harcourt to provide free eye care, including cataract surgery.

Vision Care

Vision Care is a program based out of South Korea that brings free cataract surgery to Lagos, Nigeria to help eliminate avoidable blindness. Even with limited access to eye care providers, however, patients stated the financial cost was the biggest obstacle to receiving this surgery. Vision Care gives the gift of cataract surgery to people in extreme poverty. By eradicating the need to provide payment, Vision Care has helped many people regain their sight and quality of life. On top of performing cataract surgeries, the program has also worked on educating eye care professionals in Lagos to help those doctors perform more comprehensive and upscale services.

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is the leading alliance fighting global blindness through advocacy, partnerships and knowledge. With programs like World Sight Day, the IAPB aims to ensure universal access to quality eye care by providing cataract surgery to people in extreme poverty and treating other eye diseases like glaucoma and macular degeneration. The IAPB Africa branch recognizes the alarming shortage of eye health professionals: with the general shortage of health care workers, 57 countries are in crisis, with 36 of those located in Africa. In 2014, the IAPB developed a 10-year plan to achieve universal coverage in all Sub-Saharan countries with goals to have “the right number [of eye health professionals] in the right place at the right time.”

These noble organizations are providing cataract surgery to people in extreme poverty, which, in turn, does more for these individuals than restore vision: every dollar that goes toward improving sight produced a four-fold return in developing countries. As eye care takes higher priority in developing countries, the economic and social benefits will enable millions to live higher-quality lives.

– Tawney Smith
Photo: Flickr

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6 Facts About Vaccines in Developing Countries

Vaccines in Developing Countries
It is estimated that immunization practices save two to three million lives each year. The development of vaccines and mass immunization practices have helped eradicate deadly diseases such as smallpox, while drastically reducing the number of people infected by influenza, hepatitis A and B, rubella, measles, chickenpox, polio, tetanus, mumps and other preventable illnesses. Vaccines also help prevent outbreaks and epidemics by increasing the number of people immune to various diseases within populations. Despite these benefits, global vaccine coverage is inadequate. Developing countries, in particular, often lack access to life-saving vaccines. Here are six facts about vaccines in developing countries.

6 Facts About Vaccines in Developing Countries

  1. An estimated one-quarter of all deaths in low-income countries are attributable to communicable diseases. More than 1.5 million people die annually from diseases that are preventable through vaccination. In 1990, 2.5 million children in developing countries under five died from vaccine-preventable diseases such as rotavirus, measles and pneumococcal disease. No deaths were attributable to these diseases in industrialized nations. Efforts to expand access to vaccines in developing countries reduced the child mortality rate to 750,000 in 2013. Despite this improvement, 19.7 million children under the age of one still lacked access to basic life-saving vaccines as of 2019.
  2. High manufacturing costs for vaccines hinder accessibility in many developing countries. Poverty-stricken nations often rely on vaccines to be imported from developed nations. Inefficient public health infrastructure and a lack of resources for transporting vaccines pose an obstacle to widespread immunization access.
  3. Developing countries continue to lack access to vaccines. Vaccine coverage has remained unchanged throughout the past few years in many developing countries, despite global advances in immunization knowledge and technology. Humanitarian crises caused by conflict and natural disasters threaten to perpetuate this stagnation in vaccine access.
  4. Several preventable diseases are making comebacks. In recent years, an increase in vaccine hesitancy among populations in developing countries has resulted in reductions in already poor immunization rates. The result has been outbreaks and resurgences of vaccine-preventable illnesses such as measles, diphtheria and even polio.
  5. Vaccinations also have significant economic benefits. Expanding access to vaccines in developing countries is a strategic economic investment because the financial and human costs of death and disease outweigh the burden of implementing immunization programs. Between 2001 and 2020, the economic benefit of vaccinations in developing countries was nearly $2.3 trillion.
  6. The World Health Organization has proposed the Immunization Agenda 2030 to address vaccine access. This program plans to address the shortcomings and challenges of immunization globally, including the recent outbreaks of infectious diseases such as Ebola and COVID-19. The Immunization Agenda 2030 envisions “a world where everyone, everywhere, at every age, fully benefits from vaccines to improve health and well-being.” Amidst the current COVID-19 global pandemic, its mission to improve access to life-saving vaccines in developing countries is more important than ever.

These six facts about vaccines in developing countries highlight the work that still needs to be done. Moving forward, it is essential that the World Health Organization and other humanitarian organizations make increasing access to vaccines a priority.

– Alana Castle
Photo: Flickr

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Tuberculosis: A Major Health Problem in Bangladesh

Tuberculosis in BangladeshTuberculosis (TB) is an airborne disease; common symptoms include cough with sputum and blood in some cases, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats. TB can lead to the death of an infected person when left untreated. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), TB has caused about 2 million deaths worldwide, and 95% of deaths were recorded in developing countries. Bangladesh ranked sixth among high TB burden countries. The National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP) has attained more than 90% treatment success and more than a 70% case detection rate. Despite these successes, tuberculosis in Bangladesh remains a serious public health problem.

Reasons for Higher Infection of Tuberculosis in Bangladesh

  1.  Delays in the Initiation of Treatment: Patients in Bangladesh often receive late treatment. Delays in treatment increase chances of negative treatment results, death and community transmission of TB. A study on 1,000 patients reported that, on average, there were 61 days of delay in the treatment of women and 53 days of delay in the treatment of men.
  2.  Role of Informal Health Practitioners: Most of the impoverished people in Bangladesh prefer to go to their local practitioners due to the ease of accessibility and low cost. A recent survey showed that approximately 60% of the Bangladesh population prefers to go to these uncertified doctors. However, such doctors typically lack formal training. This may lead difficulties in accurately diagnosing and treating TB.
  3. Lack of Awareness: Directly observed treatment short-course (DOTS) has been recognized as one of the most efficient and cost-effective approaches for treating TB. In 1998, the DOTS program became an integrated part of the Health and Population Sector Programme. The inclusion of the DOTS strategy in the Programme helped TB services transition from TB clinics to primary level health facilities. These health facilities typically incorporate GO-NGO (government-organized non-governmental organization) partnerships, and the NGOs have advocated for work on literacy, social awareness along and health care development. As part of the Health and Population Sector Programme, DOTS is freely available to the public. Unfortunately, many remain unaware of the treatment option.  As a result, detection of new TB cases has stagnated at around 150,000 cases per year since 2006.
  4. Poverty: A large portion of the country is still suffering from poverty. Poverty can often lead to overcrowding and poorly ventilated living and working conditions. People with less income also cannot afford food, leading to higher incidences of malnutrition. The culmination of these factors typically make the impoverished population more vulnerable to contracting TB.

The Effort to Combat TB

Tuberculosis is a major public health problem in Bangladesh. However, continuous efforts by the NTP and various NGO organizations have played an important role in decreasing the spread of the disease. DOTS, for instance, demonstrated a 78% cure rate in 1993. Due to its success, a phase-based treatment plan was implemented in 67 million rural populations in 1996.  Since implementation, the NTP has attained a 90% treatment success rate. Further efforts to combat the disease include development of the FAST program (Find cases Actively, Separate safely and Treat effectively). The program intends to detect active TB cases and decrease spread of the disease in healthcare facilities. However, despite efforts by the NTP and a number of NGOs, significant delays in care-seeking and treatment initiation still exist as major hindrances to the program’s goals. 

Challenges to TB Programs

Tuberculosis in Bangladesh kills more than 75,000 people every year. Despite free services like DOTS and other NTP programs, limited access to quality service, lackluster funding and insufficient screening prevent adequate detection and treatment of the disease. The lowest quartile of the population is still five times more likely to contract TB, potentially due to a lack of awareness of TB-treatment programs among the general public. Adding to the problems for TB programs, private health professionals are typically inactive in national programs. While NTP programs have made progress in addressing the disease, these challenges persist, and tuberculosis remains a major health problem in Bangladesh.

Solutions

To stop the growth of tuberculosis in Bangladesh, community organizations such as the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) have shown impressive results in lowering the percentage of those afflicted by TB. Effective treatment of TB includes investment in medicine, local health services and diagnostics. To ensure full recovery, social protection of patients is also required. Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), for instance, requires two months of drug treatment and a four month continuation period. If treatment programs can satisfy requirements investment and social protection requirements, the chance of curing TB patients reaches 92%. The application of a more successful method will help in curing the most complex TB cases, such as drug-sensitive TB, with improved results. With the implementation of proper and effective treatment strategies, we can eliminate tuberculosis in Bangladesh and the benefit even the poorest members of society.

– Anuja Kumari

Photo: Pixabay

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Africa Medical Supplies Platform Confronts COVID-19

Africa Medical Supplies Platform
African countries have a new tool in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic: an online marketplace for medical supplies. The site makes COVID-19 tests and personal protective equipment more accessible. On June 18, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa introduced the Africa Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP), describing it as the “glue that is going to bind the continent together.” The World Health Organization reported that, by July, there had been more than 380,000 COVID-19 cases and 9,500 deaths in Africa. AMSP, a non-profit initiative, aims to help save lives while saving African countries billions of dollars.

Fighting COVID-19 by Connecting the Continent

The African Union, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), African Export-Import Bank and ECA, along with other organizations, collaborated to create Africa Medical Supplies Platform. The online marketplace works much like eBay and Amazon, enabling African Union Member States to access COVID-19 medical supplies efficiently. N95 masks, hand sanitizer, ventilators, surgical gloves, face shields, surgical masks, thermometers, oxygen concentrators, isolation gowns and diagnostic test kits are all available for purchase. The website also prioritizes products that are made in Africa. If healthcare providers want to obtain PPE or medical equipment, AMSP will connect them to reliable suppliers as well.

AMSP suppliers are reputable, and the procurement of medical supplies will be transparent and equitable. AMSP also allows African countries to better contain COVID-19 without competing with stronger health systems around the world. Additionally, South African Airways and Ethiopian Airways have committed to ensuring that supplies will be delivered expediently.

On July 17, African Union special envoy Strive Masiyiwa announced that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will support efforts to provide dexamethasone to Africa. The drug functions to treat severely ill COVID-19 patients in the United States and Europe. In Africa, dexamethasone will aid in the treatment of roughly one million people. Furthermore, the MasterCard Foundation has provided the African CDC with $15 million to purchase PCR tests through the platform. After African Union Member States register on the Africa Medical Supplies Platform, they will be able to access these medical supplies.

AMSP’s Potential Impact on Mass Testing

The ability to obtain and utilize a large number of COVID-19 test kits is a key component of containing COVID-19. Increased testing allows countries to better understand which precautions are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, many African countries lack sufficient resources to administer mass testing. Commercial tests can be expensive and therefore difficult to distribute widely in lower-income countries.

According to Masiyiwa, about 0.17% of people in Africa had been tested for COVID-19 as of June. This rate is notable, especially in comparison to 3.16% in the United Kingdom and 4.41% in the United States. Mass testing can protect health workers and provides information about the groups most vulnerable to the virus. It can also help show whether lockdown measures and social distancing are effective. Masiyiwa attributes the African continent’s low testing rates to global shortages of test kits. AMSP was created in part to address this issue.

Lockdowns, another aspect of COVID-19 containment, are also harming African countries economically. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) estimates that the continent loses about $65 billion every month as a result of stay-at-home measures. Vera Songwe, executive secretary of the ECA, has stated that Africa Medical Supplies Platform “could save [Africa] $40 billion” because it allows for increased testing, which could reduce the need for strict lockdown rules. Less strict lockdown rules would also allow some people to go back to work and earn an income.

AMSP Helps Contain COVID-19 and Works Against Poverty

According to a recent AMSP press release, demand for medical equipment has been high since the Africa Medical Supplies Platform was launched in June. “Member States of the African Union, leading international non-governmental organizations as well as international and African foundations” have all used AMSP. This platform is helping African countries contain COVID-19 and boost their economies. It will also supply the COVID-19 vaccine, once available.

The World Bank estimates that the coronavirus pandemic will push 71 million people into extreme poverty, and people in India and Sub-Saharan Africa will be most affected. By helping combat the spread of COVID-19 and allowing health systems to function at lower costs, AMSP can also reduce the pandemic’s negative impact on individuals and prevent people across Africa from falling into extreme poverty.

– Rachel Powell
Photo: Flickr