Archive for category: Health

Information and stories on health topics.

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Hungry to Learn: Education and Child Hunger

Education and Child HungerSchool is an opportunity, and it isn’t just an opportunity to learn. To combat children’s hunger in developing countries, school and its accompanying meals can be an opportunity for hungry children and their families to access nutritious, regular meals. For students who are hungry to learn and also have hungry bellies, connecting education and child hunger through policy and humanitarian work can encourage children’s education and decrease child hunger.

There are 66 million primary school-age children who attend school hungry each day, and this undernourishment can result in up to 160 days of illness, seriously affecting children’s health and absenteeism rates. It is difficult for hungry children to focus and stay motivated, lowering school performance and impairing cognitive abilities. Hunger can deeply impact a child’s education and alter how they learn and develop, decreasing student retention.

The issue of child hunger has complex roots that spread across systems and communities, and addressing child hunger through schools requires efforts just as diverse. Hungry children live in food-scarce homes and impoverished communities, and school-based nutritional interventions have the opportunity to improve the health of their entire community. The home-grown School Feeding Program by the U.N. World Food Programme is one innovative way communities are linking education and child hunger. By partnering schools with local farmers to provide nutritious school meals, child hunger is reduced and the local economy grows.

Brazil has had great success with this model, with a 2009 law apportioning 30 percent of the federal budget to purchase local produce from smallholder farms. Municipalities are encouraged to improve their school feeding practices through an annual government award, and local smallholder farmers now have a source of income that helps to alleviate rural poverty. By providing nutritious, locally sourced school meals for children, entire communities are benefitting from improving education and child hunger.

School feeding programs can also improve girls’ access to education by motivating families to send their daughters to school alongside their sons. The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program is encouraging girls’ education through the structure of its school feeding programs, providing meals during the school day and also giving children take-home meals. Attendance for girls doubled in schools with these feeding programs since the take-home meals are incentive enough for resource-scarce families to start sending their daughters to school.

In Somalia and Bangladesh, the education of women is also helping to end child hunger. Alongside its provision of nutritional supplements in Somalia, the World Food Programme offers classes to mothers about the causes of malnutrition and how to prevent it, and in Bangladesh, a partnership between the United Nations Children’s Fund and the European Union is educating mothers about the importance of a varied diet. Offering group classes and one-on-one nutrition sessions in their homes, community health workers teach mothers how to cook nutritious meals. Drawing the connection between women’s education and child hunger helps children access nutritious meals not just at school, but in the home as well.

Connecting education and child hunger through innovative programs like locally sourced produce for school feeding programs, take-home meals to increase girls’ education and educating mothers about malnutrition allows schools to be an opportunity for children to receive both an education and nutritious meals. Focusing on school feeding models that bring income to local smallholder farmers and empower women and girls ensures not only the prevention of school children going hungry but the root causes of child hunger like rural poverty and lack of nutrition education are being addressed. By examining the intersections of education and child hunger, governmental and nongovernmental programs are filling hungry minds and bellies while strengthening communities.

– Irena Huang

Photo: Flickr

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Excellent Water Quality in Luxembourg

Water Quality in Luxembourg
Over the past few years, the water quality in Luxembourg has become outstanding. Not only outstanding, but it now has a top rating of excellence, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA). The 11 lakes around Luxembourg all received “excellent” status, meaning that the water is free from pollution and is safe for human health and the environment.

In addition to the lakes and bathing areas certified to be safe as far as water quality, the tap water in Luxembourg is safe as well. Although most of the citizens of Luxembourg drink bottled mineral water, it’s all based on the preference of the individual’s taste. World Travel Guide stated that tap water in Luxembourg is safe anywhere in the country, and there have been no medical risks posed by the tap water.

Overall, the water quality in Luxembourg is high in cleanliness and purity. According to Numbeo, the water quality sits at 77.94% and the drinking water quality and accessibility sit at 75%, which both rate as high in the cleanliness and purity categories. The city of Luxembourg rated very high in all cleanliness and purity categories, with water quality reaching 84.62%.

To receive its tremendous water quality in Luxembourg, it uses an ultrafiltration system from the company INGE WaterTechnologies AG, which is the leader in global technology for supplying top-quality membranes and modules. Viviane Loschetter, the Luxembourg councilor, said, “The city of Luxembourg makes tremendous efforts to constantly monitor the quality of the water people drink here.” In essence, the system removes all bacteria, viruses and suspended solids without using chemicals.

One can see that Luxembourg has been successful in its efforts for high-quality water. With their lakes receiving excellent status, and the water being safe to consume, traveling to Luxembourg accounts for little to no worry.

– Lindsey Robideau

Photo: Flickr

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Chronic Conditions Most Common Diseases in Switzerland

Common Diseases in Switzerland
When we think about diseases around the world, we usually imagine viruses like HIV, which kills upwards of one million people worldwide, or malaria, with a death rate of a similar scale. Yet, Switzerland does not necessarily suffer from viruses as much as other countries around the world, even when including swine or bird flu. So, what serious common diseases in Switzerland exist? Well, arguably, none.

If one looks at the common diseases in Switzerland according to government statistics, all diseases are non-transmittable, many of them chronic. In 2012, about 13% of the population have suffered from hypertension (high blood pressure), 7.3% have suffered from Rheumatoid arthritis, and about 3.2% have diabetes.

Every single one of these diseases is chronic, meaning that they kill over a long period of time. Note that the U.S. shows a significantly higher number for hypertension: 32% of the U.S. population suffers from hypertension. So, what common diseases in Switzerland are there that are not chronic or age-related?

The most worrisome diseases in Switzerland turn out to be transmitted through tick bites. Because the Swiss have a wide variety of outdoor activities to choose from, which are spread across the country, the chances of getting a tick bite are relatively high. Approx. 10,000 people are bitten by ticks yearly. These ticks can transmit two particularly dangerous diseases: Lyme disease and tick-borne Encephalitis.

Lyme disease will cause fevers, headaches and severe fatigue in the first month of transmission, for which people sometimes have to quit their jobs or leave school for recovery. What’s worse is that months later, the disease still affects the infected person with more fevers and more fatigue.

Just like Lyme disease, tick-borne Encephalitis also causes fatigue, additionally to muscle pains. Although two-thirds of patients recover with no further issues, one-third goes on to develop Encephalitis, Myelitis or Meningitis. All of these are serious conditions that affect the nervous system.

However, most Swiss are prepared for tick-bites. Every year, the most read newspaper in Switzerland, called 20 Minuten, announces tick season and educates the public on how to avoid tick bites. There exists a vaccine for encephalitis, which people use to protect against one disease, while no vaccine exists for Lyme.

Additionally, only 1.4% of ticks can actually transmit Lyme disease, making the actual transmission rate low. Nevertheless, it infuses an element of fear into the population. A vaccine for Lyme disease is currently going into clinical trials, which, if passed, will eradicate the problem entirely.

– Michal Burgunder

Photo: Pixabay

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The World Health Organization’s Global Health Goals for 2030


There has always been an unfortunate imbalance in the level of health and health care received around the world. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) health goals for 2030 seeks to change things in 67 countries, both low and middle-income.

These 67 countries make up at least 75 percent of the world’s population. The WHO projections take into account increasing population and increasing health coverage in these 67 countries. When looking forward to 2030, the organization can see the potential costs and effects of such healthcare growth.

The WHO plotted out two scenarios with different levels of progress. The progress scenario entails many of these countries advancing toward their healthcare goals but hindered by various factors. In the progress scenario, the countries manage two-thirds or more of the way to these health goals for 2030.

There is also the ambitious scenario in which these 67 countries meet the healthcare goal. It would include employing at least 23 million health workers and building at least 415,000 new health facilities. If services towards universal health coverage in these countries expand as hoped for, these goals could prevent as many as 97 million premature deaths before 2030, and could add up to 8.4 years to the average life expectancy in some of these countries.

In order to accomplish these health goals for 2030, health services need investment. Most of these countries can afford the necessary investments with strategic planning, priority management, and realistic budgeting, but the poorest nations, as many as 32 countries, need assistance.

The WHO estimates that in order to achieve the ambitious scenario, the investments in global healthcare would need to increase from $134 billion to $371 billion by 2030. However, it calls for more than just funding; it requires respect for human rights and the political will to make it happen.

– Ellen Ray

Photo: Flickr

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5 Things to Know About Pakistan’s IDP Problem

 

Pakistan's IPD Problem
In recent years, Pakistan has become home to one of the world’s largest population of internally displaced persons (IDPs). A decade-long militant insurgency; many military operations in the northwest and natural disasters have displaced millions of people from their homes. As a result, Pakistan’s IDP problem is the greatest humanitarian crisis in the country’s history.

According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), “a total of 5.3 million people in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) have been displaced as a consequence of counter-terrorism operations since 2008, some of them multiple times.” Of these, 4.8 million to have returned, and the rest have yet to go back to their homes.

The state of Pakistan, with the help of international humanitarian groups, has responded to the crises. However, it has not fully met the post-displacement challenges of the displaced and returnees. Particularly, five things about Pakistan’s IDP problem warrant the immediate attention of national government and international aid agencies:

  1. Education: Tens of thousands of displaced children have their education disrupted as a result of religious militancy and military operations in FATA. Large numbers of them were still out of school after displacements because the state had no proper arrangements to help them resume their education. Before the start of operations, non-state armed groups (NSAGs) had destroyed many schools in the region. They only left behind madrassas (religious seminaries). Girls’ education was particularly affected. In 2012, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) attempted the assassination of teenage education activist Malala Yousafzai in Swat valley, aiming to scare girls away from school. The need for education after IDPs’ return is only greater, as most schools have been either destroyed or used as home shelters that need repair.
  2. Lack of Basic Necessities: A quarter of IDPs did not have access to basic necessities, such as food, clean drinking water and shelter. Most of them lost around a third of their food supplies during the displacement. Poor strategy and coordination have made it worse for relief operations to provide for the basic needs of IDPs. Moreover, the state’s rehabilitation services, as most IDPs have returned or are in the process of returning to their homes, are less than encouraging. The state provides a resettlement allowance that surely helps, but not enough to repair the destruction left behind. Most importantly, FATA is the poorest region in Pakistan. The area needs a comprehensive development plan, as it has been historically ignored.
  3. Second Class Citizens: The IDPs not only faced harsh circumstances in camps, but they have also received a very unwelcoming attitude from some host communities. In the recent past, the provinces of Punjab and Sindh have opposed the entry of IDPs from FATA because of the alleged fear of terrorists among them. Moreover, once the IDPs entered and settled temporarily, some host communities and even security agencies in Punjab labeled them as a potential threat of terrorism. The alienation of one of the largest ethnic groups, Pashtuns, only made it more difficult for IDPs to find work and live in peace. This double standard regarding the treatment of refugees is striking to watch; many in Pakistan are angry at the West for its treatment of refugees from Muslim lands.
  4. Health: Healthcare in Pakistan is the holy grail for the poor in normal circumstances. Mass exodus due to conflicts and insecurity have made it impossible for displaced persons to attain basic health care. The most common problems among IDPs are malaria, skin infections, diarrhea and colds. Very few mothers and children received assistance to fulfill their nutritional needs. Health services, though available in the area, already overstretched before the IDPs’ arrival.
  5. Insecurity: Instability and recurring violence is another challenge of Pakistan’s IDP problem. Despite the army’s claim of clearing the region from militants, the events on the ground indicate a different reality. Many FATA locals are suspicious of the army’s role in eliminating militants. The U.S. has also blamed Pakistan for playing a double-game by supporting groups like the Haqqanis as its long-term ally in Afghanistan where Pakistan considers the increasing Indian influence as a threat to its territorial integrity. Insecurity has also made it difficult for aid agencies to reach out to the affected people. The government requires most NGOs to get NOCs in order to function in the FATA.

The good news is that national and provincial authorities, military, civil society and community networks are all involved in Pakistan’s IDP problem. The government has made substantial efforts to address IDPs’ needs over the years. Immediate relief has generally included shelter, relief, cash grants, water, etc., but Pakistan has no national policy or legislation to cope with the recurrent crises of internally displaced persons.

– Aslam Kakar

Photo: Flickr

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Increasing Surgical Care for Cleft Conditions

Increasing Surgical Care for Cleft Conditions
One of every 500-750 children worldwide is born with a facial deformity known as a cleft lip or cleft palate. If left untreated, the condition can result in social isolation and serious health concerns, such as malnutrition and infection. There is a clear need for increasing surgical care for cleft conditions.

While cleft conditions can almost always be reversed, many impoverished and/or rural families are unable to access affordable care in order to get their children the necessary medical attention. Operation Smile believes that all patients deserve exceptional surgical care regardless of where they are born or how much money their families make.

Operation Smile has been executing life-saving surgical procedures for children around the world for over 35 years. Their advocacy efforts expounding the importance of increasing surgical care for cleft conditions have touched millions. Consequently, their donor base continues to grow. In the month of July, the organization has plans to execute several medical missions in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Tame, Columbia and Ambato, Ecuador, to name a few.

Beyond the numbers, Operation Smile prides itself on personable and compassionate care. CEO and founder Dr. Bill Magee asks of his donors, “What if this was your child who needed the surgery?” He notes how this consideration makes people realize that the work he does not only rewarding but absolutely necessary.

Adding to the personal nature of the organization, it focuses on individual stories of patients and their families both before and after the life-altering surgery.

The healing story of Siham, a young girl from Morroco, demonstrates just how difficult overcoming the social obstacles of looking different than your peers can be. Every time she left her house, people tormented her in the streets. After only a few weeks of school, Siham dropped out because of the bullying she had endured. Doctors informed her that surgery was possible, but Siham knew that her family would never be able to afford the travel expenses to reach the hospital, let alone the procedure itself.

Stories like Siham’s touch readers at a personal level and help increase the reach of the organization’s successes.

Powered by its compassionate donors and volunteers, Operation Smile has provided hundreds of thousands of free cleft condition surgeries for children and young adults in developing countries. This care has grown exponentially since its beginning in 1982. One element that makes this organization unique from many other medical nonprofits is that it works within the local community’s health providers and cultural norms rather than independently to provide comfortable care for their patients. Each mission is different. Some require importing medical equipment and others need local expertise.

While the root cause of cleft conditions is not yet clear, Operation Smile and other organizations are researching ways to prevent the deformity. For over 30 years, the nonprofit has grown its donor and volunteer bank exponentially. In addition, it has gained valuable experience in unique areas by teaming up with local medical programs in developing countries.

The success of Operation Smile in increasing surgical care for cleft conditions lies in its sustainable practices. They involve local community volunteers and emphasize the importance of donations to fund the services rather than charging patients. The organization benefits everyone involved and will likely continue to grow.

– Sarah Coiro
Photo: Flickr

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Taking a Look at Common Diseases in Angola

Common Diseases in AngolaThe central African nation of Angola recently saw a significant uptick in life expectancy, largely due to health and sanitation advances. However, several communicable maladies still affect the population today. What’s more, it may come as a surprise that many common diseases in Angola are preventable.

Beginning with the general health numbers, the life expectancy in Angola hovers around 56 years. This ranks it as number 208 among a list of 224 nations. Although on the rise, this ranking among the global community illustrates some major health issues present in the nation.

Poor quality of drinking water, a common source of fatal illnesses in countries with low life expectancies, is a main contributor to this nation’s life expectancy problem. The CIA World Factbook states that just under 50 percent of the drinking water has improved. This excludes a majority of the population, especially those living in rural areas.

This lack of clean water, along with a plethora of other factors, affects the children of Angola as well. Angola has an infant mortality rate of 7.6 percent, placing them at the eighth-highest in the world. Premature death, in general, is also high in this African nation.

According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, six out of the top 10 causes of death in Angola are communicable diseases (contractible diseases, which are therefore preventable). This is amplified in cases of premature death, where eight out of 10 are communicable, with congenital defects and road injuries as the outliers.

What is most surprising, however, is not how these illnesses are contracted, but the diseases themselves. This is the case for the third-highest of the common diseases in Angola which cause death: diarrheal illnesses.

“Diarrheal disease is highly preventable, yet accounts for nine percent of all deaths among children under age five worldwide,” reads a peer-reviewed research article by Liliana Carvajal-Vélez et al.

In this article, the researchers go on to explain how preventable these types of diseases are. They also reiterate a joint statement by the World Health Organization and UNICEF on how to better stave off diarrheal diseases. The statement highlights Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), zinc supplements and increased amounts of clean water and nutritional foods as keys to combating the illnesses. There is evidence to support that ORS alone can reduce diarrheal disease-related deaths by up to 93 percent.

However, this does not solve the entirety of the problem.

Another issue that instigates diarrheal diseases in countries such as Angola is the withholding of fluids from children affected by a diarrheal illness. An analysis in six African nations found an association between caregivers withholding vital fluid intake and seeking care outside of the home. This was particularly the case with people seeking “non-government health providers” (or non-professionals).

Studies suggest that training public physicians on how to treat children needing ORS and zinc while also instructing caregivers to give more sanitized fluids, not less, are effective in improving children’s health. By using methods like these, several of the common diseases in Angola could become much less common.

– Stephen Praytor

Photo: Google

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Water Quality in Timor-Leste

Water Quality in Timor-Leste
One of the themes common to countries struggling with poverty is the ability of the population to have access to clean water and sanitation. The people of Timor-Leste are no different from the millions of others around the world who battle with this problem daily. Water quality in Timor-Leste is concerning, compounding many of the issues the country faces.

In Timor-Leste, the majority of freshwater comes from two sources, groundwater and surface water. Often abundant in areas, groundwater is largely underutilized in the country, whether down to a lack of finance, technology or other insurmountable problems. Surface water, on the other hand, is far easier to acquire, yet it also has a number of problems attached to it.

The issues associated with groundwater can be attributed to several factors. A lack of funding for the initial development of water supply presents a large obstacle. The unavailability of spare parts for maintenance is another issue, particularly in rural areas. A third problem is the lack of technical knowledge within the country to successfully implement such plans.

Those who gather water from the surface are often faced with a different set of problems. A recent WHO study into water quality in Timor-Leste showed that as much as 70% of water sources were contaminated with microbiological entities, often holding potential for spreading diseases such as typhoid and cholera. Contaminations such as this are partly the result of a lack of effective sewage systems, with much of the country’s waste being disposed of in rivers and fields.

The lack of access to clean water has created additional strain on the limited healthcare system in Timor-Leste. Respiratory illness is widespread, as are malaria and dengue fever, with water quality often cited as the problem. For young children, diarrhoeal diseases, the largest killer of those under five, are similarly common, often causing complications that can have long-term negative effects on the younger population.

Despite these problems, however, progress has been made with several organizations targeting the water problem in Timor-Leste as part of their global strategies. Water Aid has trained many Timorese in servicing water points, enabling expertise, which allows the people to become self-sufficient. Its efforts in recent years have enabled 2,672 people to access clean water.

In addition, the World Health Organisation has provided support for studies, in collaboration with other NGOs, governments and Timorese societies. They have also supported the training of the populous in water safety processes. Through the assistance of UNICEF and the European Union, more than 37,000 people across multiple districts were given access to clean water through the installation of new water supply systems. Training into the managing and maintenance of these systems was also provided, enabling autonomy for the people of these districts.

The problems facing Timor-Leste are no doubt difficult to overcome. A government target for 2020 will cost an estimated $40 million each year to attain. In spite of this cost, however, steps do appear to be being made to ensure water quality in Timor-Leste in future years.

– Gavin Callander

Photo: Google

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What are the Top Diseases in Iraq?

Top Diseases in Iraq
The people of Iraq face many obstacles to their safety. When discussing the middle eastern country, many focus on the physical threats of violence, terrorism and forceful opposition. Health is also a hazard. Diseases spread in many ways. Infection can be airborne, blood born or spread through food and water. Blood-borne diseases, such as Hepatitis A and B, are a risk in Iraq. The two main transmission types in Iraq are food or water-borne and vector-borne. Here are some of the top diseases in Iraq.

  1. Food or Waterborne
    Hepatitis A is spread through a fecal-oral path. This route of disease infection occurs when fecal matter from an infected person is in the food or water consumed by another person, thus infecting the recipient of the food or water. This is why sanitation is the best precaution other than immunization. The spread of this disease occurs because of poor sanitation in food preparation. The risk of infection is much higher in developing or poor countries due to a lack of proper sanitation, which is why Hepatitis A is one of the top diseases in Iraq.Another food or waterborne disease that contributes to the top diseases in Iraq is Typhoid fever. Typhoid is a bacterial disease that contributes very high fevers. Like Hepatitis A, this is spread through fecal-contaminated food or water. Typhoid fever has a higher mortality rate. If the disease is not treated, one in five do not survive.
  2. Vector-borne
    Vector-borne diseases are spread through animals, insects or parasites. One of the top diseases in Iraq is malaria. Malaria is spread by mosquito bites. The disease causes parasites to accumulate in the liver and attack red blood cells. This often leads to death from interrupted blood supply to vital organs.Another top disease in Iraq is yellow fever. This, again, is spread through the bite of a mosquito. Although the severity varies, there is a mortality rate of 20 percent.

These top diseases in Iraq are less common in developed countries, as there are vaccines available. The economic infrastructure in Iraq does not allow for many of its citizens’ access to such life-saving precautionary medication.

– Nate Harris

Photo: Flickr

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Six Facts on the Most Common Diseases in the United Kingdom

Common diseases in the United Kingdom
According to the CIA World Factbook, the United Kingdom is home to 64,430,428 people, many of whom fall victim to various illnesses. The list of common diseases in the United Kingdom includes the following:

  1. Coronary heart disease causes nearly 74,000 deaths each year, which amounts to approximately 200 individuals dying every day from the disease. A significant amount of people with coronary heart disease are younger than 75, and, as such, additional health checks are being emphasized in the country.
  2. Respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are categorized as some of the most common diseases in the United Kingdom. In fact, England has one of the highest rates of asthma prevalence in the world. While the primary cause of COPD is smoking, a small percentage of cases are triggered by exposure to fumes, chemicals and dust at work.
  3. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United Kingdom and the leading cause of disability, with more than 150,000 people suffering from strokes every year.
  4. Cancer has become incredibly common, partly due to the fact that the United Kingdom falls behind other European countries in terms of accessible treatment and cancer survival. It is estimated that, by 2030, three million people in England will have had some form of cancer.
  5. The number of deaths from chronic liver disease in people under 65 has risen about 20% in England, while other European countries have seen improvement and a decrease in diagnoses.
  6. Health inequalities continue to play a role in poor health outcomes for those in the lowest socio-economic groups. Tuberculosis (TB) is one major infectious disease concentrated in the most deprived areas of the United Kingdom. In 2015, the rate of TB was 20.5 per 100,000 people in the 10% of the population living in the most deprived areas, compared to only 3.6 per 100,000 in the 10% in the least deprived areas.

With the pervasiveness of such diseases, immunization and cost-effective healthcare are highly prioritized in the U.K. Nevertheless, most common diseases in the United Kingdom are preventable, and individuals should consider taking the necessary steps and precautions to follow healthier lifestyles. According to a country profile health report conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), a few adult risk factors responsible for contributing to the increase in common diseases in the United Kingdom include tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, raised blood pressure and obesity.

– Mikaela Frigillana

Photo: Flickr