Archive for category: Health

Information and stories on health topics.

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Soteni International Builds Health and Hope in Kenya

In Kenya, around 1.6 million citizens are currently living with HIV, with around 910,000 of these being women aged 15 and over. Soteni International, a nonprofit organization based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, works within rural Kenya to fight HIV/AIDS. Executive Director Randie Marsh describes the goals of the organization as “to reduce the incidences of HIV/AIDS in rural Kenya and improve the lives of those affected by HIV/AIDS.”

Soteni International was founded in 2002 by a group of both American and African volunteers led by Dr. Victoria Wells Wulsin, a physician and epidemiologist. Marsh describes the early mission of the organization as being to “empower orphans of AIDS to lead the fight against AIDS and to prevent another generation from succumbing.”

Villages of Hope

The organization has now developed and works through the “model of Villages of Hope.” This includes doing everything in its power to build up specific communities so that they are sustainable for future HIV/AIDS-free generations. These villages are focused in three main regions in rural Kenya: Mbakalo, Ugunja and Mitunto.

Marsh told The Borgen Project that the organization chose to stay in rural areas because it “felt like there are many organizations working in Nairobi that address the HIV crisis there. These [three regions] are also areas where the communities have given us land to use to further our mission and/or support us in other ways.” Soteni has supported a number of projects in these communities that all work toward the overall betterment of the region.

Community Improvements

In 2009, Soteni worked with other organizations, including the Lake Victoria North Water Services Board, the Gender Sensitive Initiatives organization and the Kenyan Water Services Fund Trust, to bring safe drinking water to Mbakalo. The project included bringing the region 20 hand-pump wells and 20 springwater pipes. The local schools also received 15 three-door latrines and 12 rainwater harvesting tanks. In 2015, the organization also enacted the Improving Access to Family Planning Project in Ujunga to spread sexual health and family planning awareness and provide access to sexual reproductive health services.

Soteni opened a health center in Mbakalo in 2005 and has continued to improve it over the years. The center provides essential medical services through a seven-person staff. 200 to 300 citizens receive treatment here every month that includes antimalarials, antihistamines, antibiotics and some immunizations. The center has no electricity, but in 2008 Soteni installed a solar refrigerator for vaccines and medicines. Plans are currently underway to expand and upgrade the center.

International Cooperation

Soteni International requires leadership and cooperation in both the United States and Kenya to do its work. The organization has members and locations in both Cincinnati and Nairobi and members make trips back and forth annually. Supporters in the U.S. can donate time through volunteer work or make monetary and material donations.

According to Executive Director Marsh, “the heart of our organization are the people on the ground who work to support the mission.”  The organization and its community work are entirely grassroots, built from the ground up by people who saw a problem and wanted to be a part of the solution. Not only does its work better the lives of Kenyan citizens, but it also inspires citizens from the U.S. and around the globe.

– Megan Burtis

Photo: Flickr

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How Blood Donation Rates Were Multiplied in Haiti

blood donation rates multiplied in haitiAfter the devastation of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, health challenges greatly increased. Thousands of men, women and children were seriously injured or their livelihoods were threatened following the disaster. The National Blood Transfusion Center (NBTC) located in Port-au-Prince was destroyed, which reduced monthly national blood collections by over 46 percent.

The NBTC was responsible for the majority of blood collections as well as screening all of Haiti’s blood donations for transfusion-transmissible pathogens. Many of the men, women and children in critical conditions that were waiting for blood transfusions were thus unable to get the treatment necessary to survive. Organizations such as the Haitian Red Cross relied on foreign aid in order to collect a blood supply to help as many patients as possible.

Rapid efforts were put into place to actively repair damages and increase the scale of blood donations following the earthquake. By 2014, blood donation rates had multiplied in Haiti. Before the earthquake, blood collections were 52 percent in Port-au-Prince, which is the largest city in Haiti. As part of the recovery plan, Haiti’s Ministry of Health (MSPP) created the National Blood Safety Program (NBSP) in order to increase blood collections in outer regions of Haiti, hoping to decrease focus on the Port-au-Prince area, as this was where most of the damage was received.

Expanding the blood transfusion posts, where blood donations were completed and blood stored, was also a goal of the NBSP, as this would also encourage more active participation in blood donations throughout the entirety of Haiti. Prior to the 2010 disaster, Haiti was one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. This was only exacerbated following the destruction. Building blood transfusion posts, recruiting donors and obtaining healthy blood were intense challenges faced by health and humanitarian efforts.

However, with the collaborative efforts of MSPP and the Haitian Red Cross, as well as generous donations from international relief agencies, the NBSP saw their efforts paying off within years. By building a greater geographic area for all participants to access transfusion centers, blood donation rates multiplied in Haiti. By 2012, annual blood collections exceeded pre-earthquake levels and continued to increase. By 2014, collections were 36 percent higher than in 2009. Both the international community and local community within Haiti understood the necessity for blood transfusions in the country, and volunteers rose to the occasion.

Blood donation rates multiplied in Haiti due to other efforts as well, outside of building new facilities. In 2012, Haiti initiated a new plan to continue attracting volunteers for blood donations. The country aimed to increase the percentage of voluntary blood donors to 85 percent and regular donors to 40 percent. It also sent mobile blood drivers around Haiti to network with the community and discuss the importance of blood donations. Incentives were given out, like t-shirts, books and stickers, to attract locals to the idea.

Using technology to network also became an important driver. The Haitian Red Cross Society hosts a biweekly radio show to educate listeners on the subject and encourage life-saving behaviors. Particularly on important dates such as Blood Donor Day, the National Blood Transfusion Center produces messages on the radio and through text for people to donate blood, which can help compensate for limited stocks at different moments in time.

These combined efforts have clearly exemplified the dedication that Haiti has to reaching its goal of 100 percent donation rates in upcoming years. Its work has set an example for nations worldwide that have suffered from similar problems in obtaining efficient blood collections to treat those in need.

– Caysi Simpson

Photo: Flickr

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The Nation With the World’s Lowest Life Expectancy

The widespread poverty, hunger and disease in Central Africa has consistently resulted in the lowest life expectancy in the world. While the global average of life expectancy has risen by roughly five years in the past two decades, central African countries continue to dwell at the statistical bottom. At a typical life expectancy of 50 years, the global community must increase funding and accountability to ensure that poverty and disease cease their decimation of central African populations.

The central African country of Chad was estimated to have the lowest life expectancy in the world for 2017. Chad is a country of 12 million people, 40 percent of which live below the poverty line. While the country began oil production in the early 2000s, Chad’s poverty rate is expected to continue its rise. In part, this is due to the country’s high mortality rate and low life expectancy. To gauge the ability of the U.S. and other developed nations to help increase Chadians’ average lifespan of only 50.60 years, it is first necessary to examine the causes of death.

Early Deaths

Children in Chad die from all sorts of illnesses, from malaria and respiratory infections to prematurity and diarrhea. Because so few Chadians have access to birth control, as only approximately five percent use contraception, the birth rate in Chad is growing. 43 percent of the population is aged 14 or younger, and that figure is rising. The risk of dying by this young age is 44 percent for boys and 39 for girls, as of 2012.

Furthermore, Chad has the third highest maternal mortality rate in the world. Extreme poverty, poor to no maternal health care and adolescent pregnancy has contributed greatly to the high maternal death rates. In a country with the lowest life expectancy in the world, the extreme poverty rates must decrease and better access to maternal healthcare is essential if the country is to improve.

Diseases

Chad, like many African nations, is no stranger to disease. Lower respiratory diseases, malaria, HIV/AIDS and diarrhoeal infections are dangerously common. Lower respiratory infections alone killed 24,700 people in 2012. The risk factors for falling prey to these diseases are lack of adequate healthcare, a rarity of potable water and the hot and arid climate. As the largest of Africa’s landlocked countries, Chadians are forced to walk long distances for water.

As only 28 percent of the population lives in urban areas, the vast majority of Chadians do not have quick access to necessities such as water and healthcare. As the country with the world’s lowest life expectancy, it is vital that Chad provide better access to these basic human needs to the entirety of its landscape.

The U.S. is in a unique position to provide monetary and medicinal assistance. Maintaining accountability with the Chadian government regarding these resources would be the most effective way to ensure that taxpayer dollars are going to good use and can be reflected by a rising life expectancy for the people of Chad, and all over Central Africa.

– Eric Paulsen

Photo: Flickr

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Top 20 Countries with the Lowest Life Expectancy

countries with the lowest life expectancyThere are a lot of factors that contribute to a country’s life expectancy. Some of these contributing factors are economic conditions, diet, public health, access to medical care, wars, crime rate etc. Because of this, a lot of the countries on this list are African countries plagued by poverty.

According to the CIA’s World Factbook, these are the top 20 countries with the lowest life expectancy as of 2017.

  1. Chad – 50.6
  2. Guinea-Bissau – 51.6
  3. Afghanistan – 51.7
  4. Gabon – 52.1
  5. Swaziland – 52.1
  6. Zambia – 52.7
  7. Central African Republic – 52.8
  8. Somalia – 52.8
  9. Lesotho – 53
  10. Mozambique – 53.7
  11. Nigeria – 53.8
  12. Burkina Faso – 55.9
  13. Niger – 55.9
  14. Uganda – 55.9
  15. Sierra Leone – 58.6
  16. Cameroon – 59
  17. Cote d’Ivoire – 59
  18. Republic of the Congo – 59.8
  19. Zimbabwe – 59.8
  20. Angola – 60.2

The overwhelming majority of these countries are in sub-Saharan Africa. According to Africa Check, the top five causes of death in 2017 in Africa were lower respiratory tract infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrheal diseases, stroke and Ischemic heart disease. The major reasons for these causes of death are unsafe water, poor sanitation, insufficient hygiene, lack of resources and economic conditions. Living conditions dramatically affect life spans and are a major reason why these countries have the lowest life expectancy.

However, there has been a significant improvement in a lot of these countries and their life expectancy numbers. For example, Zimbabwe and Zambia’s longevity has increased by 38 percent since the year 2000. And, overall, of the 37 countries that have seen increases in their life expectancy numbers by more than 10 percent since 2000, 30 are in sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, not even one sub-Saharan country had its life expectancy fall between the years 2000-2014.

There is still a lot of progress that needs to be made in order for these countries with the lowest life expectancy to increase their numbers, but regardless, there has been a substantial improvement in these struggling countries.

– McCall Robison

Photo: Flickr

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Plague in Madagascar Affects Thousands

Plague in Madagascar Affects ThousandsAn outbreak of the pneumonic plague is threatening citizens and affecting many areas of Madagascar, including the capital city, Antananarivo, which is heavily populated. The plague in Madagascar is serious and spreading quickly, and has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO), along with the Madagascar Ministry of Health, to initiate a public health response to the illness. Madagascar is also receiving help from other organizations throughout the world.

The WHO has reported 1,365 possible cases of the plague in Madagascar from the beginning of August to the end of October 2017. About eight percent of these cases have led to death.

Plague pneumonia is the most serious case of the plague disease, caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis, often found in rodents. The disease is easily spread: someone could become infected just by breathing in the bacteria after someone coughs, through touch, or by getting bitten by a plague-infected flea. Often times, swollen lymph nodes are the earliest symptom of the plague.

Forty of Madagascar’s 114 districts have reported cases of the pneumonic plague. The WHO reports that most of the deaths occurring from the plague are not in treatment centers. It is urging people to find a treatment center near them to prevent the spread of the plague. The WHO has provided medication and treatment to treat up to 5,000 people, protected 100,000 people who could have come in contact with the disease and have trained thousands of volunteers.

Not only does the plague pose a threat to individuals in terms of health, but it also affects socialization and education. The government has forbidden any public gatherings, as well as closed all of the schools at the risk of spreading the disease further. The airports in Madagascar are also taking measures to check temperatures and place medical teams to ensure those traveling are not taking it with them.

– Chloe Turner

Photo: Flickr

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Lucky Iron Fish: Tackling Malnutrition in Impoverished Countries

Malnutrition in Impoverished CountriesAnemia is the most common nutritional problem in the world. There are over two billion people that are anemic. Tackling malnutrition in impoverished countries can be difficult, but the creators of the Lucky Iron Fish hope to alleviate a worldwide issue.

When the creator of the Lucky Iron Fish, Christopher Charles went to Cambodia, he found that there were many people suffering from iron deficiency and anemia. About half of the women and children in the entire country was not getting the proper amount of iron in their diets. That caused many people to be tired, suffer constant headaches, and even made them unable to work at times.

When Dr. Charles visited, there were no real solutions to this problem. Iron supplements were not widely available and even if people could get their hands on them, the iron supplements were too expensive. Cambodians also did not want to take the supplements due to various side effects.

Dr. Charles wanted to come up with a solution to all of these problems. The Lucky Iron Fish is the solution Cambodians were looking for.

The Lucky Iron Fish is a small iron fish that can be used to infuse foods with a healthy amount of iron. Iron supplements tend to have too much iron in them which can be detrimental to your health. The Lucky Iron Fish infuses meals with about 75 percent of the daily recommended iron so people are not getting too much iron in their meals, so there are no ill side effects.

Another problem with iron supplements is that people usually just do not like taking them. The Lucky Iron Fish is made to be cooked in food that people were going to eat anyways. When using the fish, they just need to boil it for 10 minutes along with their food and the meal is now iron-rich. Not only that, but the iron is tasteless so it does not affect the meals.

Cost is a major factor when dealing with malnutrition in impoverished countries. High cost can end up making the product unavailable to those who need it most.

The Lucky Iron Fish costs about 30 USD. So it is not too expensive so it can be bought by many people. Not only that, but the creators of the Iron Fish have a buy a fish give a fish program. Anyone who buys a fish will also end up giving a fish to a family who needs it.

30 USD can end up looking expensive for some because people think they have to replace it every couple of months. A single Lucky Iron Fish can end up being used for five years before needing replacing.

Tackling malnutrition in impoverished countries can be a challenge. The cost and effectiveness of a product can really reduce resources for impoverished countries to use. The Lucky Iron Fish tackles all of these issues to make sure people are getting the best product to tackle anemia and iron deficiency.

The original target for the Lucky Iron Fish was for Cambodians. Now anyone can buy them and the creators are hoping to send one million fishes worldwide by 2020.

– Daniel Borjas

Photo: Google

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The Importance of World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health DayWorld Mental Health Day is an initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) that is observed on October 10 every year. It celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2017. World Mental Health Day has an “overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health.”

In other words, it is an opportunity for practitioners, scholars and everyday citizens alike to share their successes in the field of mental health and discuss what still must be done.

What was this year’s theme?

A yearly theme is set by the World Federation of Mental Health (WFMH). The theme for 2017 was mental health in the workplace. According to the WFMH, mental health issues lead to increased rates of employee absenteeism, lower rates of productivity and increased costs to businesses.

Potential solutions involve raising awareness to reduce the stigma, appreciating employees and fostering a supportive environment that is mental health-friendly. Further, individuals should remain aware and be able to identify signs of undue stress and burn-out, so they can be addressed by stress management programs.

How does mental health relate to poverty?

People who live in poverty are at a higher risk for a variety of mental illnesses. Further, people living in poverty often face mental illnesses that are more severe, last longer and have overall worse outcomes. Conflict and violence can further exacerbate mental illnesses, in particular anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An overwhelming majority of people in such situations are living in poor physical health and are subject to human rights violation.

The prevalence of mental illness cannot be considered without other areas of development, including education, employment, responses to emergencies and/or natural disasters, etc. These are all issues that are also intrinsically linked to poverty.

The psychological burden of poverty, which includes anxiety and stress, and of witnessing trauma or violence is the main contributing factor to mental illness for those living in poverty. The long-term mental health effects of poverty are even more egregious for children. Long-term exposure to stress hormones triggered by trauma, food insecurity and poor physical health irreversibly affect brain development in children.

Potential Solutions

In 2013, the WHO created and committed to a mental health action plan with the goal of increasing access to services for mental illnesses in 135 countries. The goal was to increase access by 20 percent and reduce suicide rates by 10 percent by 2020.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which entered into force in 2006, has also been instrumental in raising awareness of the unique ways in which poverty and human rights violations can cause disabilities and exacerbate the symptoms of pre-existing disabilities.

Other potential solutions include integrating mental health services into all physical health services and codifying mental health policies alongside other health policies. This would include mental health awareness and policies in emergency response scenarios, as well as providing a mental health curriculum to schools.

World Mental Health Day may not be the final solution to reducing stigma and increasing access to mental health services across the world, but it is an important step in legitimizing and validating mental health on the world stage.

– Olivia Bradley

Photo: Flickr

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Cassava Root Can Pull Regions Out Of Poverty

Cassava RootThe cassava root is such a versatile ingredient in the fight against poverty that some scientists are calling it a ‘miracle crop’.

It’s likely that even you have come across cassava, as it makes up the small balls in bubble tea and is the main ingredient in tapioca pudding.

While it lends a hand to some dishes in developed countries, the root is a vital component to diets in the developing world. Cassava is one of the leading food and feed plants of the world, ranking fourth among staple crops with a global production of about 160 million tons per year. The majority of cassava is grown in three regions: West Africa and the adjoining Congo basin, tropical South America and South and Southeast Asia.

The miracle crop was introduced into Africa in the 16th century by Portuguese traders from Brazil. Initially, it was adopted as a famine-reserve crop because of its nutritional value. The leaves can be prepared in a similar fashion to spinach and contain high levels of protein and vitamins A, B and C. Cassava root can be prepared in countless ways, but should not be consumed raw. They are often boiled and sliced, but they can also be dried and beaten into flour.

It is among the highest calorie value foods, containing 160 calories per 100g root. It provides more protein than sources like yams or potatoes and it is also a leading source of essential minerals like zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, manganese and potassium. Potassium is an important component of a healthy diet, helping regulate heart rate and blood pressure.

In addition to its bountiful nutritious value, the crop is perhaps one of the world’s easiest to grow. Cassava root can be grown well in poor soil with a relatively low fertility and textures ranging from sands to clay. It is drought resistant and loses its leaves in order to preserve moisture in times of limited rainfall. The plant produces new leaves when rains resume. Additionally, cassava can be grown in extreme rainfall. For these reasons, the crop requires little labor and attention and the fruits of one harvest can be consumed 6 months to 3 years after planting.

Lastly, cassava has the potential to solve more than hunger. It is possible to transform cassava from a low-yielding famine-reserve crop to a high-yielding cash crop in order to raise income and draw poor regions out of poverty. The domestic market for cassava products continues to grow and export demands are increasing.

Cassava production presents enormous opportunities for solving domestic famine and malnutrition. It could also promote economic stability and reduce poverty through trade between areas with a food surplus and a food deficit.

– Jamie Enright

Photo: Flickr

 

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S.Res. 310: The Importance of Ending Pediatric AIDS

Pediatric AIDSHIV/AIDS is embedded in social and economic inequity and there exists a critical connection between the disease and poverty. There is strong evidence that the disease affects individuals of lower socioeconomic status and impoverished nations at a disproportionately high rate. This is also true when examining the occurrence of mother-to-child transmission, which accounts for more than 90 percent of HIV infections in children.

S. Res. 310, according to U.S. Congress, is a “resolution that recognizes the importance of a continued commitment to ending pediatric AIDS worldwide.” This is of extreme importance because, not only do children suffer the most from HIV/AIDS because of their developing immune systems, but they also are the key to eradicating the disease and breaking the cycle of infection. Without diagnosis and treatment, one-third of infected infants will die before the age of one, one-half will die before their second birthday and 80 percent will die before their fifth birthday.

As a leading cause of death among adolescents, AIDS is devastating the lives and hopes of millions of children worldwide. Pediatric HIV-related deaths have more than tripled since 2000, requiring immediate attention and resolution.

S. Res. 310 recognizes that women and children are in desperate need of HIV-related services. Data from 2016 shows that half of the 36,700,000 people worldwide who suffer from HIV are women and 2,100,000 are children. Despite the increased efforts by the U.S. and countries around the world, over 400 children were born HIV-positive every day in 2016. This legislation highlights that continued commitment is required in order to eradicate pediatric AIDS.

The resolution allows the U.S. to provide women and children with HIV counseling and testing services and to improve access to services and medicines that prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The legislation also supports expanding treatment for pediatric and adolescent HIV, including greater access to more efficacious antiretroviral drug regimens, age-appropriate services and support for the caregivers of children and adolescents.

In the words of the resolution, “every mother should have the opportunity to fight for the life of her child; and every child and adolescent should have access to medicine to lead a long and healthy life.”

– Jamie Enright

Photo: Flickr

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Ben & Jerry’s Aid SeriousFun Children’s Network

SeriousFun Children’s NetworkOn the November 1, 2017 viewing of The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon revealed The Tonight Show’s limited edition Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Marshmallow Moon. Just like that of Tonight Dough, Fallon’s ever-popular permanent flavor, all proceeds of Marshmallow Moon benefit the SeriousFun Children’s Network.

This global charity community of 30 camps and programs serves children with serious illnesses, such as cancer, blood disorders, neurological disorders, cardiac disorders, genetic disorders and HIV.

Ben & Jerry’s Marshmallow Moon flavor itself is made up of vanilla ice cream with marshmallow and graham cracker swirls and fudge flakes. The delicious dessert is not the first of its kind, however, to go toward a philanthropic cause.

The launch of The Tonight Dough, Fallon’s initial flavor, raised over $1 million in support of SeriousFun Children’s Network. Commenting on the notable achievement, SeriousFun CEO Blake Maher was thrilled by the landmark milestone as a result of the relationship with Jimmy Fallon and Ben & Jerry’s. Maher commented, “They are both fantastic partners whose support helps ensure that we can provide transformative camp experiences to children living with many different types of serious illnesses all around the world, totally free of charge.”

SeriousFun Children’s Network is founded on the belief that all kids deserve to experience the joys of childhood, regardless of their health. All of its programs and facilities are specially adapted to meet the medical needs and different cultural backgrounds of campers, and state-of-the-art onsite medical expertise supports more than 50 different medical conditions.

Since being founded in 1988 by Paul Newman, 864,000 children and family members have been served, 132,000 children and family members have experienced camp and 221,000 individuals have contributed as volunteers. Originally based in Ashford, Connecticut, the SeriousFun Children’s network has continually expanded over the years.

The dedicated organization relies entirely on the support of caring donors, who make its mission of extending the SeriousFun experience to more and more children with serious illnesses possible. In 1994, a 500-acre estate in Ireland, courtesy of a generous donation from the government, became the first camp outside of the U.S.

In 2008, Newman’s global vision bloomed with the launch of the Global Partnership Program (GPP), providing culturally applicable programs that excite and empower children around the world.

Ultimately, it is remarkable to see how the buying and selling of a single product can be transformed into a life-changing experience for children around the world. Fallon’s collaboration with Ben & Jerry’s and SeriousFun Children’s Network is fostering the growth of youth, helping them to see beyond their medical limitations and live a life filled with unforgettably fun moments. Marshmellow Moon can be purchased through Ben & Jerry’s online store or at its scoop shops across the country.

– Mikaela Frigillana

Photo: Google