Archive for category: Health

Information and stories on health topics.

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Kenya’s Plastic Bag Ban: Improving the Environment and Lives

Kenya's Plastic Bag Ban
On Monday, August 28th, Kenya’s plastic bag ban officially came into effect. The ban targets those who make, sell and import plastic bags. Anyone caught engaging in these activities could face up to four years in jail and up to $38,000 in fines.

While other African countries, like Botswana and Rwanda, have also instituted rules surrounding plastic bags, such as taxes and prohibited use, Kenya’s ban is the most rigid. Kenya’s plastic bag ban is so strict because of the extremely detrimental effects plastic bags have on the environment and Kenyans.

Plastic waste affects the globe as a whole, with eight million tons of plastic seeping into the ocean every year alone. The plastic debris in the ocean can injure or poison marine life. Plastic buried in landfills and littered across the land can also leak into groundwater, creating hazardous drinking water for human beings and wildlife.

In Kenya, plastic waste is a major pollutant, with piles of bags littering streets. Agricultural animals, such as cows, often end up grazing on these bags and are commonly found to have multiple plastic bags in their systems when being prepared for human consumption. Chemicals in the plastics contaminate the meat, potentially making it dangerous for those eating it.

Plastic bags littered over agricultural lands seep chemicals into the soil, reducing the fertility and productivity of the soil. Bad soil equates to lower agricultural production, which economically affects impoverished people the most. About 61 percent of the population works in agriculture, so lower soil fertility can equate to decreased income and even greater poverty.

With plastic bags taking over their streets and adversely affecting agricultural and human health and growth, the Kenyan government made the positive decision to clean up this pollutant. Some, however, who use plastic bags for basic daily needs, worry about the immediate effects upon their lives resulting from the ban.

Impoverished Kenyans, in particular, use plastic bags often. For example, plastic bags are used for basic daily functions, such as a place to put bodily waste due to the lack of a proper sewage system. Many also use plastic bags for transporting shopping goods, rather than investing in reusable bags.

In order to fully eliminate plastic bags and truly improve the lives of Kenyans, the Kenyan government must provide its people with basic needs, such as a proper sewage system. The government also encourages people to use paper and cloth bags, but it should provide these reusable alternatives to its poorest citizens, for whom purchasing reusable bags is not as accessible. Kenya’s plastic bag ban is an important step toward improving the environment and hopefully toward improving Kenya’s 43 percent poverty rate, but the Kenyan government can still act further to improve its infrastructure and services for its impoverished people.

– Mary Kate Luft

Photo: Flickr

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Six Important Facts About Child Poverty in Norway

Child Poverty in NorwayNorway is among the richest countries in the world; in fact, the Human Development Index ranks it first globally. However, by the country’s own standards of development, there are still segments of society which are considered below the line of poverty. Reports on child poverty in Norway reveal some troubling facts about the country’s economically successful image. Here are six important facts about child poverty in Norway.

  1. More than 90,000 children come from families that are defined as poor. According to UNICEF Norway, this number has doubled since 2000. It is feared that this number will continue to rise if adequate measures are not taken to address the issue.
  2. According to a report by Norway Today, every fifth child, or about 18, 500 of the country’s total number of poor children, lives in Oslo. Child poverty in Norway is relatively high in metropolitan areas such as Oslo.
  3. According to the Minister of Children and Equality, Solveig Horne, more than half of poor children come from families with immigrant backgrounds. However, Kari Elisabeth Kaski, the first candidate in Oslo and party secretary of the Socialist Party, says that child poverty is an important issue regardless of immigration status. Kaski also says that child poverty should become a priority issue in the upcoming election in Norway.
  4. One report shows that though child poverty in Norway is particularly high among certain immigrant groups, approximately half of the children in low-income families are of Norwegian ethnic backgrounds.
  5. In some low-income neighborhoods, such Nedre Toyen in Oslo, two out of three children are poor compared to one in five in the Kampen area, which is several steps away. Differences in child poverty – depending on the area in Oslo – are substantial.
  6. The effects of living in poor neighborhoods on childrens’ future opportunities are alarming. A poor neighborhood, where most or all families are poor, does not provide a good network or “social and cultural capital” that can be mutually beneficial to members of the community in getting a job, better education or any other assistance.

Despite these troubling facts, the good news is that as the world’s most developed country, child poverty in Norway is defined differently in relation to the poverty of children globally. It mostly means for children to have little to no resources to participate in life experiences such as birthday parties, a school trip and other experiences that are socially and culturally enriching. Norway is also a welfare state. Generally, there is little difference between children from rich and poor backgrounds in the sense that they get equal education and healthcare among other social services. Further, the number of children who die has decreased by 50 percent in the last 20 years.

Clearly, poor children in Norway still have the resources to give them the best chance of growing up to be healthy, educated and successful adults; however, there need to be government efforts aimed at the underlying causes in order to prevent child poverty in the first place. Only then will these children have access to necessary socially and culturally uplifting experiences.

– Aslam Kakar

Photo: Flickr

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Common Diseases in Gabon

Common Diseases in GabonIn 2013, Gabon’s government began building new medical facilities to ensure that all citizens can access quality healthcare. This was an important step toward combating HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and other common diseases in Gabon. However, further work is needed to continue protecting Gabon’s people from illnesses.

UNAIDS reports that 44,000 Gabonese adults (ages 15 and older) are infected with HIV. 30,000 women (ages 15 and older) are among that demographic. There are 2,600 Gabonese children (ages 0 to 14) living with HIV and 16,000 Gabonese orphans due to parents who died from AIDS.

Gabon has high incidences of malaria and other insect-transmitted diseases. While Gabon has a yearly malaria risk, the risk is especially high during and immediately after the country’s rainy seasons (October through December and February through April). The disease is mainly transmitted through Anopheles mosquitoes that feed from dusk to dawn.

In July 2017, a vaccine called RTS,S was found to have the capability of stopping malaria before it starts. The vaccine was tested in Gabon from May 2009 to early 2014. In July 2015, the European Medicines Agency gave the vaccine a “positive scientific opinion,” revealing that it could be used for Gabon’s future malaria cases.

Tuberculosis is an increasing epidemic in Gabon. In 2013, a research study observed 64 tuberculosis-infected children in a Lambaréné, Gabon hospital. The findings showed a discrepancy between the tuberculosis burden and the commitment to controlling it. Tuberculosis was found to be especially prevalent in Gabonese children.

International funding agencies have attempted to implement a “DOTS Strategy” program that could slow down and reverse the effects of tuberculosis. However, Gabon is unable to qualify for the program due to the country’s commodities and a high per capita income. As a result, the country’s national program against the disease is funded entirely by the state and tuberculosis remains one among many common diseases in Gabon.

However, efforts are still being made to combat Gabon’s disease outbreaks. In August 2017, a Regional Collaborating Centre was established as part of Africa’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The center will coordinate efforts to prevent infectious and non-communicable diseases in Gabon and other central African countries.

While common diseases in Gabon remain a problem for many residents, these efforts can help Gabonese people combat disease risks. The RTS,S vaccine could prevent many malaria cases if it continues to be used in the country. Gabonese children who are highly vulnerable to tuberculosis and other diseases will need continuing treatment as well.

– Rhondjé Singh Tanwar

Photo: Flickr

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Common Diseases in Uruguay

Common Diseases in UruguayUruguay is an upper-middle income country with a population of 3.444 million people. The country is located on the coast of South America between Brazil and Argentina. Like in many other countries, noncommunicable diseases have topped the list of common diseases in Uruguay.

1. Cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases constitute 30.6 percent of deaths in the country. Ischemic heart disease is the most common form of cardiovascular disease. Risk factors include unhealthy weight, high cholesterol and blood pressure, diabetes, unhealthy eating habits, smoking, stress and lack of exercise. In Uruguay, 56.6 percent of the population is overweight or obese, 29.2 percent have high cholesterol, 30.4 percent have hypertension and 5.5 percent have diabetes. Most people do not eat enough fruits and vegetables.

2. Neoplasms

Cancer makes up 24.8 percent of deaths in Uruguay. For men, the most common cases of cancer are lung cancer (45.32 percent of cases), prostate cancer (22.13 percent) and colorectal cancer (11.37 percent). For women, the most common cases are breast cancer (22.74 percent), colorectal cancer (12.65 percent) and lung cancer (6.43 percent).

3. Respiratory diseases

Respiratory diseases account for 9.2 percent of deaths in Uruguay. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most common respiratory disease in the country. COPD is caused by breathing in smoke, dust and chemicals. Smoking is a major risk factor for respiratory diseases as well as lung cancer. About 29.7 percent of adult males and 19.1 percent of adult females smoke. Additionally, 22.9 percent of adolescents ages 15 to 18 smoke. Secondhand smoke is another risk factor, and roughly 11.8 percent of adults are exposed.

In 2006, Uruguay passed a smoke-free policy that mandated public facilities and workplaces be smoke-free. This lead to a 26 percent decrease in hospitalization for respiratory diseases between 2006 and 2012. There has been a significant reduction in asthma and pulmonary infection. However, COPD has not had the same decrease.

4. Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

Dementia is a major cause of death and disability and most common in the elderly. About 4.03 percent of the population has dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is a common form of dementia. Between 40,000 and 50,000 people in Uruguay have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

Understanding and further research of these common diseases in Uruguay can aid in the fight against poverty.

– Francesca Montalto

Photo: Flickr

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Addressing Causes of Common Diseases in Macedonia

Common Diseases in MacedoniaMacedonia, officially called The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia by the U.N., has a population of 2.1 million. The life expectancy for men is 73 years and the life expectancy for women is 77 years. The “healthy life expectancy” in Macedonia, the number of years a person can expect to live in good health, is only 63 years. This significantly lower age is the result of common diseases in Macedonia.

The most common causes of death in Macedonia are circulatory diseases and cancer. Circulatory diseases, specifically cerebrovascular diseases and ischemic heart disease, are responsible for more than half the deaths in Macedonia, with a mortality rate of 57.2 percent. Cancer is the second most common cause of death, with a much lower mortality rate of 19.7 percent.

An important trend to notice regarding common diseases in Macedonia is that the deadliest diseases are noncommunicable. Injuries and communicable diseases also contribute to death rates, but not nearly as many deaths as noncommunicable diseases.

Public health officials in Macedonia have put emphasis on addressing circulatory diseases in Macedonia, as they have a high mortality and disability rate.

In 2007, the Ministry of Health in Macedonia adopted an extensive health strategy that outlined several plans for improving the healthcare system in Macedonia by 2020. Addressing noncommunicable diseases in Macedonia will require efforts on behalf of the government, non-governmental institutions, healthcare institutions and the citizens of Macedonia.

The strategy for reducing the morbidity, disability and premature mortality attributed to circulatory diseases will address primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Primary prevention will include promoting healthy lifestyles that include regular exercise, proper nutrition and smoking reduction. Secondary prevention efforts include earlier detection for circulatory diseases. Tertiary prevention includes proper care and rehabilitation for patients facing these diseases.

On World Heart Day (September 29) 2013, Shaban Mehmeti, the Director of the Institute of Public Health of Macedonia, emphasized the importance of reducing the risk for cardiovascular diseases. Mehmeti pointed out that lifestyle changes can help prevent common risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, being overweight and physical inactivity. Reducing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases will reduce healthcare costs and improve the quality of life in Macedonia.

Macedonia’s cross-sectoral approach to addressing circulatory diseases along with the multiple levels of prevention will hopefully reduce the incidence of circulatory diseases and will also serve as a framework for addressing other common diseases in Macedonia.

– Christiana Lano

Photo: Flickr

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Common Diseases in Andorra

Common Diseases in AndorraAndorra is one of the smallest countries in Europe, residing between the French and Spanish borders. In recent years, Andorra has become a tourist destination, drawing in more than eight million visitors every year. This tourism is due to the country’s winter sports, a summer climate and an international commercial center for shopping. For the people who live in Andorra, preventable disease acts as one of their leading causes of death. Below are some of the most common diseases in Andorra:

Ischemic Heart Disease
One of the most common diseases in Andorra is ischemic heart disease (IHD). IHD occurs when blood flow is restricted in the body and arteries in the heart become narrowed. When heart arteries are narrowed, the victims of this disease have less blood transported to the heart and can ultimately lead to a heart attack.

About 22 percent of Andorrans suffer from IHD, and it is the leading preventable cause of death in Andorra. The disease has become more prevalent in recent years due to increased economic prosperity, allowing people to live a more sedentary lifestyle. In fact, there has been a 43 percent increase in the past twenty years of the occurrence of IHD.

Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is the third most common disease in Andorra. The disease is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that start off in the lungs and has the potential to spread to other regions of the body. This spread can compromise other organs in the body, leading to death. Currently, six percent of Andorrans suffer from lung cancer, which is a 36 percent increase from when it was last measured in 1990.

Andorra suffers from this disease due to preventable actions. About 44 percent of males and 28 percent of females in Andorra smoke tobacco products on a regular basis, which is one of the leading causes of lung cancer. Even though the knowledge about the dangers of this disease are well-documented and known throughout the country, many individuals do not take the proper actions to avoid lung cancer.

Diabetes
Due to the economic prosperity of Andorra, food is easily available in the country, often leading to diabetes. Diabetes is a disease that affects a person’s ability to produce or use insulin. This inability to use insulin can cause a surplus of blood sugar in the body. Prolonged exposure to increased levels of blood sugar causes a person suffering from diabetes to risk getting kidney disease, heart disease and blindness.

Currently, three percent of Andorrans suffer from diabetes. Similarly to lung cancer, although many know of the risks associated with diabetes, many individuals do not take the proper actions to avoid the disease.

The most common diseases in Andorra are also the most preventable ones. Proper diet, exercise and the avoidance of intoxicants are one method that an individual can avoid a higher chance of getting any of the above illnesses. Although the information on these diseases is well known, many in Andorra have not taken steps to avoid them.

– Nicholas Beauchamp

Photo: Flickr

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Effects of Poverty on Development of Children

Effects of PovertyOf all the social issues faced by a developing country, poverty often feels especially overwhelming. Of the many factors working against the poor, the effects of poverty on the brain development of children is probably the most daunting yet.

Researchers have long suspected a correlation between a child’s behavior and cognitive abilities and their socio-economic status. This correlation becomes even more apparent among people living in extreme poverty. In a 2015 study published in Nature Neuroscience, a team led by neuroscientists Kimberly Noble from Columbia University in New York City and Elizabeth Sowell from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, California, imaged the brains of 1,099 children, adolescents and young adults in several U.S. cities. Their findings revealed that children from the lowest income bracket of less than $25,000 had up to six percent less surface area than children from families making more than $150,000. Within the poorest families themselves, income inequalities of a few thousand dollars were associated with major differences in brain structure and cognitive skills.

Within countries that live on less than a dollar a day, researchers have found other developmental problems such as stunted growth and cognitive issues. In an unprecedented study conducted in 1960, a team of researchers began giving out nutritional supplements to young children in rural Guatemala. The study was aimed at collecting data to test the theory that providing enough supplements during a child’s formative years would help in reducing stunted growth. This theory was proved in the early 2000s, when the researchers returned to check on the children who had received the supplements in the first three years of their life. They found that not only did the children grow one to two centimeters more than the control group; they even scored higher in cognitive tests. This experiment proved the effects of poverty on the brain development of children.

In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a study into the heights and weights of children between birth and age five in Brazil, Ghana, India, Norway, Oman and the United States. The results showed that healthy children, regardless of their home countries, follow a very similar growth trajectory. Based on these results, the WHO established benchmarks for atypical growth. In countries like Bangladesh, India, Guatemala and Nigeria, over 40 percent of children meet the definition of stunted growth. In light of the growing awareness and consensus around effects of stunting, the WHO included the reduction in the number of children under five with stunted growth by 40 percent as one of its six global nutritional targets for 2025.

Similar studies were conducted in Brazil, Peru, Jamaica, the Philippines, Kenya and Zimbabwe, all with the same conclusion. However, pediatric cognitive development is a complex multidimensional problem and not all stunted growth, which affects an estimated 160 million children worldwide, is connected to malnutrition. Malnutrition is one side of this multifaceted problem; poor sanitation, stressful home environments, exposure to industrial chemicals, lack of access to good education and income disparities are other possible factors.

It would not be an overstatement to say that all research points to an urgent need to address the problem of world poverty. Factors such as lack of education, poor hygiene, lack of pre-post-natal care, nutritional deficiency, exposure to chemicals and stressful childhood are some of the paralyzing issues faced by those in extreme poverty. The daunting effects of poverty on the brain development of children have already been proven by researchers and new research and studies are further fortifying what is already known. In essence, even as officials start to take action in providing adequate nutrition, research cannot be clearer in building the case for the urgent need to eliminate world poverty.

– Jagriti Misra

Photo: Flickr

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Common Diseases in Brunei

Common Diseases in BruneiBrunei is a country in Southeastern Asia that borders the South China Sea and Malaysia. The country used to be a British colony until 1984, when one family took control of the nation from the British military. That family has maintained control of the country to this day and has also maintained the country’s status of having one of the highest per capita GDP in the world. Despite its high GDP, the country still suffers from many harmful diseases. The purpose of this article is to discuss a few of the most common diseases in Brunei.

Ischemic Heart Disease

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the most common disease in Brunei. When last measured in 2015, about 31.2 percent of people in Brunei suffered from this illness. IHD is a disease which decreases the flow of blood to the heart as a result of restricted arteries leading to the organ. This disease can cause severe chest pain and eventually heart attack if left untreated for an extended period.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

COPD is the fourth most common disease in Brunei. COPD is an umbrella term used to describe lung diseases including persistent bronchitis, asthma and emphysema. This disease is described by people who suffer from it as an increased feeling of breathlessness, wheezing and tightness in the chest.

One of the reasons for this disease being so common in Brunei is due to some people who smoke tobacco products on a regular basis in the nation. When last measured in 1988, around 20 percent of individuals over the age of 16 smoked tobacco products regularly. Even though this common disease in Brunei is preventable, many inhabitants of the nation choose to continue to smoke tobacco, making it difficult to decrease the prevalence of COPD.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

CKD is the seventh most common disease in Brunei, and between 2005 and 2015 its prevalence increased a shocking 30.6 percent. CKD is a blanket term for a variety of illnesses that damage a person’s kidneys and decreases their ability to filter toxins from the blood. Without toxins being eliminated from the blood properly, people who suffer from CKD often develop complications like high blood pressure, anemia and nerve damage. If left untreated, this disease can lead to premature death.

The Takeaway

Highly developed nations often suffer from high rates of preventable disease. IHD, COPD and CKD are all common diseases in Brunei, which are all avoidable given an individual takes the proper steps to live an active and healthy lifestyle. With more information about these diseases being released on a daily basis, these common diseases in Brunei are sure to see a fall in the number of people they kill.

– Nicholas Beauchamp

Photo: Flickr

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Addressing the Problem of HIV in the Philippines

Philippines HIV InfectionConsisting of more than 7,000 islands, Philippines is a sovereign nation in Southeast Asia that lies near the equator. Over the past six years, HIV in the Philippines has seen a 140 percent increase and is now the highest in the Asia-Pacific region.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks an infected individual’s immune system by destroying white blood cells called T-helper cells. Without treatment, the virus would multiply and continue to eliminate white blood cells, which are key to our immune system, until the person will struggle to fight off even the most minor illnesses.

While there are many misconceptions about the spread of HIV, it cannot be transmitted through sweat, saliva or urine. Condoms during sex are one of the most effective ways of preventing the transmission of the virus. If HIV is discovered early, it can be maintained with treatment, allowing the infected individual to live a long, healthy life. The treatment is a strict regimen of antiretroviral drugs that effectively prevent the virus from replicating within the body.

According to the Philippines health minister, in 2010, there were 4,300 Filipinos living with HIV, but this number grew rapidly to a startling 10,500 by the end of 2016. This upward trend appears to be continuing, as there were 1,098 new infections in just May 2017. Despite this sharp increase in HIV in the Philippines, the rest of the Asia-Pacific region has been experiencing an overall downward trend as people become more educated about how to prevent the transmission of the virus as well as to the dangers it presents.

Eighty-three percent of cases of HIV in the Philippines have been in gay men and transgender women. Additionally, the lack of access to information about HIV has been a substantial problem in the country. Two out of every three infections were in males between 15 to 24 who did not have adequate awareness about the dangers and pathways of transmission of the virus. In fact, many gay men, a group in particular risk of contracting HIV, only get tested eight years after their first sexual encounter.

The Philippines government has been slow in its policy actions. There has been a significant delay in the implementation of HIV prevention education in schools and harm reduction programs in high-risk communities. Furthermore, one of the most difficult yet undoubtedly important tasks is working to remove the stigma against HIV as it forces thousands to avoid treatment in fear of becoming a social outcast.

However, there have been some measures that have been taken. The Philippines secretary of health Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial has designated the battle against HIV/AIDS to be one of the country’s most important health concerns and has dedicated more resources to spreading awareness about the virus as well as guaranteeing access to antiretroviral drugs to anyone who tests positive for HIV.

A promising bill named the Philippines HIV and AIDS Policy Act has been approved by the House of Representatives to increase efforts to fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Some of the actions sponsored by the bill include prohibiting discrimination against people living with HIV in the Philippines and stopping the spread of false information about the virus and its dangers. There have been severe fines and penalties written into the bill that should help curb some of the actions that lead to the spread of HIV. For example, the punishment for having sex with another person while knowingly being infected with the virus is imprisonment for six to 12 years.

The Philippines‘ severe increase in the HIV infection rate is absolutely one that can be rectified with proper, effective plans of action, but the country needs to move quickly before the issue worsens.

– Akhil Reddy

Photo: Google

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Countries Target Hepatitis Elimination

A large portion of the countries currently affected by hepatitis B and C are taking proactive approaches to eliminate the disease in their areas.

According to information from the World Health Organization (WHO), 28 countries representing approximately 70% of the global health burden are establishing hepatitis elimination committees. More than half of these countries have already committed funding for hepatitis responses.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, finds the commitment of these countries encouraging. “Identifying interventions that have a high impact is a key step towards eliminating this devastating disease. Many countries have succeeded in scaling-up the hepatitis B vaccination. Now we need to push harder to increase access to diagnosis and treatment,” Dr. Tedros said in a statement from the WHO.

Hepatitis (which means inflammation of the liver) is caused by toxins, certain drugs, diseases, heavy alcohol use and bacterial and viral infections. The disease is spread when blood or other bodily fluids enter the body of an uninfected person. Symptoms include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), fatigue, abdominal pain, swelling, chest pain, abdominal swelling, fever, and diarrhea.

The WHO report was released to coincide with World Hepatitis Day and is calling on countries to increase their commitment to end the disease. The current theme of World Hepatitis Day is Eliminate Hepatitis, focusing on increased awareness, diagnosis, universal vaccination and treatment.

Viral hepatitis affected 325 million people worldwide in 2015 and is responsible for 1.34 million deaths. The two main killer strains of hepatitis B and C affected 257 million and 71 million people respectively. WHO data shows that more than 86% of countries that were reviewed have already set national hepatitis elimination targets. More than 70% have begun to develop national hepatitis elimination programs by enabling access to effective prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care services.

Dr. Gottfried Himschall, WHO’s Director of the HIV Department and Global Hepatitis Program acknowledges that awareness of hepatitis is gaining momentum but also states that there are too many people living with hepatitis that don’t know they have the disease or cannot access treatment.

“For hepatitis elimination to become a reality, countries need to accelerate their efforts and increase investments in life-saving care. There is simply no reason why many millions of people still have not been tested for hepatitis and cannot access the treatment for which they are in dire need,” Dr. Himschall said in a statement from the WHO.

The World Hepatitis Summit in Sao Paulo, Brazil, organized jointly by the WHO, the World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA) and the government of Brazil, will bring together key players in hepatitis elimination. The summit will be held Nov. 1-3 and promises to be the largest global event to advance the viral hepatitis agenda.

– Drew Hazzard

Photo: Flickr