Information and stories on health topics.

,

Contaminated Water in China Enters Spotlight on World Water Day

China_World_Water_Day_Contamination
As the UN marks another annual World Water Day, all eyes were focused on Shanghai as the number of dead pigs dragged from rivers that supply the city with water was upped to nearly 16,000 within the last two weeks. Although Chinese officials claim that the incident is not related to water toxicity, the international community has become increasingly concerned as new reports claim that water contamination is the leading cause of illness in the country.

Last week, UNICEF released an alarming study that claims 90 percent of child deaths throughout China were related to bad hygiene and sanitation, and diarrheal disease through polluted water sources. An additional study done by Greenpeace East Asia corroborates these figures and also states that nearly 25 percent of the population has no source of safe drinking water, and an additional 190 million people who are forced to drink from contaminated sources.

Adding to concern is the annual water outlook study by OECD that states demand for water will rise by 55 percent within the next 37 years, while depletion of groundwater sources continues to occur, which the study says will become a major issue for certain regions within the next 10 to 20 years.

Although water access and contamination is slated to reach crisis levels throughout much of the developing world within the next few decades, governments have done relatively little to tackle this issue, with more focusing heavily on energy development and putting water sanitation to the side.

– Christina Kindlon

Source: Guardian

,

India Fights Pollution with Innovative Cookstoves

India_Cookstoves_Pollution_Prakti
Prakti, an Indian company, is using innovating design solutions to battle rising death tolls that come from cookstove usage throughout India. Nearly 3 billion homes in the country use inefficient cookstoves that lead to high levels of toxic indoor pollution, as the fuel used ranges from animal feces to coal. It is estimated that nearly 4 million people worldwide have died due to indoor air pollution – more than have died from tuberculosis and malaria.

Prakti has been dedicated to finding creative designs to combat this problem, although founder Serrar acknowledges that finding the perfect combination of design and affordability is not always simple. Since cookstoves are used not only in India, but throughout other developing nations in Southeast Asia, the cookstoves must be designed for use in different cultures and environments. For this reason, Prakti is not able to standardize and produce cookstoves in bulk.

Prakti sends a representative to a community in need of efficient cookstoves, along with a few prototypes, to discuss with the people their needs and the viability of each design for that select environment. Although Prakti has only sold around 8,000 cookstoves thus far, the market remains largely untapped, with innovative cookstoves only having reached nearly 1% of the total market.

Although Prakti’s stoves are a bit more expensive than traditional stoves, at 1,000 rupees each, Serrar asserts that the money a family saves in healthcare costs and future illnesses more than makes up for the extra cost paid up front. A traditional wood-burning stove in India costs around only 100 rupees. Prakti is still working on reducing costs of their cookstoves, and is looking into microfinance options and corporate sponsors, along with the option of creating local jobs and having the new cookstoves built onsite or nearby to reduce costs.

– Christina Kindlon

Source: Guardian

,

US AID Praises Filipino Volunteer Organization

US AID Praises Filipino Volunteer OrganizationThe United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Health commended a volunteer-based organization in the Philippines named the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP). The group, located in Iloilo City, teaches young students in poor villages about preventing unplanned pregnancy and provides reproductive education. Many low-income families living in the Philippines do not have access to family planning services, so the Filipino volunteer organization has been working diligently to provide this much-needed information.

Volunteers for FPOP complete extensive training in preparation to teach adolescents about reproductive health. These volunteers are able to educate students on family planning, the importance of preventing teen pregnancy, and birth spacing. The FPOP also reaches out to the LGBT community for peer counseling, thus providing a safe and open place for these students to ask questions and learn about sexual health.

The FPOP in Iloilo City has partnered with the Department of Education to incorporate reproductive education and family planning into the current school curriculum. Now, students in the 5th and 6th grade may learn about preventing pregnancy in science, health or social studies classes. So far, one elementary school and one high school have begun to include FPOP information in their classrooms.

Six barangays, or small villages, have seen the benefits of the FPOP. Not only are students better educated on topics that greatly affect their futures, but they also have the opportunity to positively interact with mentors from the FPOP. Clearly, this is a wonderful organization that deeply impacts its community and deserves praise from USAID.

– Mary Penn

Source: Sun Star Iloilo
Photo: Flickr

, , ,

Combating Undernutrition

Combating Undernutrition
Each year, 3 million children die from undernutrition.

There are more than 165 million children under the age of five suffering from stunted growth, a marker for malnutrition.

In the media, malnourished children are often portrayed as being skinny with protruding stomachs. Yet, a protruding stomach is not the only marker for undernutrition. In fact, undernutrition comes in many different shapes and sizes. Stunted height, especially before the age of five, is a marker  “of multiple deprivations regarding food intake, care and play, clean water, good sanitation and health care,” according to The Guardian.

Children that face undernutrition in the first 1,000 days after conception are unable to fully, properly develop. Brain-synapse development and the development of the immune system are especially vulnerable and incorrect development of these major parts of the body can have long-lasting and serious effects on a person. Further, undernutrition leads to the deaths of 1 in 3 children and 1 in 5 mothers in developing countries.

The European Commission has recently launched a new effort that will hope to decrease the number of stunted children by 7 million by addressing malnutrition by the year 2025. This will be done through the provision of funds from donors – and from the EU humanitarian and development budgets – as well as by making this a global movement. Everyone must get involved to combat malnutrition, which is usually the result of impoverished situations that make it hard to access food, healthcare, clean water and sanitation, and education.

– Angela Hooks

Sources: New Europe, The Guardian
Photo: UN

, ,

ONE’s Initiative to Reduce Poverty in Africa

ONE's Initiative to Reduce Poverty in AfricaThe ONE Campaign has launched an initiative in Africa called “You Choose,” aimed at creating representation for poor citizens throughout Africa on how to reduce poverty in their own communities.

This initiative to reduce poverty, which has been endorsed by high-profile African celebrities, aims to give a voice to millions of people throughout Zambia, Malawi, and South Africa by sending their opinions and views on how to tackle poverty through Short Message Service (SMS) in hopes that leaders and policy-makers will be pressured into making changes.

Citizens can use mobile phones to text a designated number that will prompt them to explain “what the government can do to help improve [life for] your family and friends” to which they can reply with their suggestions on critical needs facing their families and communities. A goal of the You Choose campaign is to give those in extreme poverty a voice in deciding how poverty will be dealt with in their countries, which will hopefully lead to the poor having a voiced opinion and participating in the decision-making process.

The initiative will collate the data it receives through SMS responses, and the information will be presented to the UN at the end of March when the High-Level Panel plans to meet in Bali to discuss the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The organizers behind the You Choose initiative highlighted the fact that only 16.5 million people in Africa had mobile phones when the MDGs were first introduced. Today, over 650 million people throughout Africa have access to a mobile device, which has “allowed people to learn firsthand what priorities Africans believed in and what the new developmental agenda should include.”

– Christina Kindlon

Source: AllAfrica
Photo: RNW

, , , ,

Arab Spatial Tracks Food Security

Arab Spatial Tracks Food SecurityA new web-based tool called Arab Spatial has recently launched and will provide aid workers and researchers access to valuable data relating to food security and malnutrition information throughout the Middle East. Previously, aid workers and activists noticed a lack of data on resources including food and water – data that is typically used in important policy and resource distribution decisions. Even if a country did have relevant information on these issues, the data was not efficiently being shared between countries and regions.

Now, researchers and aid workers can turn to Arab Spatial, an online tool developed by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) that should house all food security information for the Arab world in one easily-accessible location.

Food security is an enormous issue in the region, where many countries must import many of their basic food staples, and where war and fighting have exacerbated hunger and perpetuated poverty. Abeer Etafa, the representative of the World Food Program, said that “millions of families” throughout the region were having difficulties obtaining food, and with the events surrounding the Arab Spring and other civil unrest and upheaval, have had to face rising instability and lost wages as well.

Although the struggle of millions to obtain the food necessary to survive is known, it has been very difficult for researchers and aid organizations to quantify; IFPRI says that not many countries in the Middle East have poverty figures widely available, and even when they do, it is unclear how accurate said figures are.

To combat this issue, Arab Spatial will aggregate data on food based on national, regional, and local areas, and the data can be used to create maps showing “more than 150 food security and development-related indicators related to poverty, malnutrition, disease, production and prices, public finances, exports and imports.”

IFPRI also asserted that economic development and proper nutrition and food security are vital to each other, and one cannot be successful without the other. It is clear that eradicating the challenges to make food accessible will create sustained economic growth and development throughout the Middle East.

IFPRI hopes that Arab Spatial will be used by government officials, researchers, humanitarian aid workers, and journalists, and most importantly, decision-makers in addressing food security.

– Christina Kindlon

Source: IRIN

, , ,

Non-Communicable Diseases Key in Reducing Poverty

Non-Communicable Diseases Key in Reducing PovertyIn a recent report, the World Health Organization (WHO) has deemed non-communicable diseases as the number one killer throughout the world. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory disease, have over an 80 percent occurrence rate in low-income countries and poverty-stricken regions, specifically.

The WHO also estimates that 63 percent of all deaths in 2008 were caused by NCDs, with 25 percent of those people being younger than 60 years old.

In a related study, Harvard University found that each extra year of life expectancy can raise a country’s GDP by nearly 4 percent, adding to the belief that NCDs help facilitate the spread of poverty and hinder development and economic growth. Although much has been done in industrialized countries to combat these diseases, the lack of health infrastructure throughout the developing world makes it very difficult to consistently provide the proper treatment to each individual affected by NCDs.

A “roadmap” to fight NCDs around the world, published by Johns Hopkins University, recommends that it is imperative for the private and public sectors to work together in order to find efficient solutions to tackling NCDs across the globe, especially in poverty-stricken countries. It also asserts that health infrastructure in low-income countries needs to be consistent and standardized in order to avoid building “systems that are complex, duplicative and inefficient.”

The roadmap also recommends a higher level of cooperation between pharmaceutical companies and regulatory institutions in order to streamline the process of approving selected treatments, and highlights the need for pharmaceutical companies to play a larger role in building “partnerships with communities and governments.”

– Christina Kindlon

Sources: Forbes
Photo: United Nations University-MERIT

SXSW Interactive Exhibits Life Saving Devices

SXSW Interactive Exhibits Life Saving DevicesThere is some unimaginable technology in this day and age, especially when it comes to its application in developing countries. Many of us are aware of the wonders that small-tech devices can have in education and micro-finance businesses. But when it comes to health-related technology, things can get more expensive and less mobile. Premiering at this year’s SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas is a series of devices that may be the new tools for health clinics around the world with the potential to reduce the cost of expensive equipment, improve patient record keeping, and most importantly save lives. This festival introduces life-saving devices.

The Interactive Festival at SXSW is one of the earlier showcases of the multi-tiered festival in Austin. From ‘TED talk’ like presentations to interactive gaming and activities, festival-goers can peruse and try-out different gadgets and new technology.

One of the larger exhibits displays products centered around the “quantified self” movement. Recently, apps and personal devices have come on the market and allow individuals to monitor and track certain aspects of their daily lives to better improve their health. While many of these programs are not quite adjusted for use in developing countries, there were some products that have the potential to be used in countries where large machinery and regular doctor visits are uncommon and difficult.

As part of GE’s Healthymagination Initiative, a new blood glucose monitor has been developed that is not only physically smaller than a normal monitoring system, but stores and charts information such as insulin, glucose, and carbohydrate levels. While blood sugar levels may not be the biggest concern in areas with a number of cases of communicable diseases, its a health concern nonetheless that can now be easily monitored by health clinic workers.

Another invention is the breast cancer-detecting bra. Mammograms run a bit expensive and thus may be low on a priority list for women who struggle to barely feed their children. An initial investment in these bras that monitor on the longer-scale any signs of breast cancer can help women in villages without immediate access to a doctor

While all these life-saving devices sound truly amazing, it is of course only with time that their affordability will come to a level in which organizations can buy and or donate them to health clinics around the world. What would work even better is if those at GE’s Healthymagination initiative focused on the needs of those living in more impoverished conditions and how certain devices would lower their risks of diseases and other health risks. Or even better, if they came together to donate the devices directly to families in need.

– Deena Dulgerian
Source: NPR

, ,

How Can Golden Rice Help End World Hunger

How Can Golden Rice Help End World HungerDr. Gerard Barry, project leader for the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), is developing a type of genetically modified rice called “Golden Rice.” This rice contains the essential nutrient beta-carotene, the source of vitamin A, which is often lacking in the diets of people living in poverty. The GMO rice is referred to as “Golden” because beta-carotene produces an orange color once added to the rice. Dr. Barry and IRRI are working to address vitamin A deficiency in developing countries and hope that Golden Rice is the answer.

In an interview with National Public Radio, Dr. Barry spoke enthusiastically about engineering new types of rice pointing out that it is the staple food of a couple of billion people. His passion for the crop led to a career at IRRI and he quickly began working on Golden Rice which he explains has the potential to greatly benefit those living in impoverished conditions. IRRI hopes to distribute the GMO rice in Bangladesh and the Philippines, where the institute is located.

Vitamin A deficiency is a result of malnourishment and a limited diet. The consequences of this deficiency include tissue damage, blindness, and a weakened immune system. For those millions of people affected by vitamin A deficiency, one cup of Golden Rice a day could provide half the amount needed for a healthy diet. “This product has the potential to reduce the suffering of women and children and save lives,” said Dr. Barry. IRRI is working with nonprofit organizations to ensure the super rice reaches those who need it most. Once it has passed food and safety regulations, we will begin to see the real impact of Golden Rice.

– Mary Penn
Source: IrishCentral
Photo: Forbes

, ,

Mexico’s First Midwifery School

Mexico's First Midwifery SchoolIn Mexico, traditional midwifery services have been fallen steadily as women choose to have their babies in hospitals. However, many citizens who still live too far from hospitals need midwives. To meet this demand, Mexico has established its first public midwifery school, and young women are learning this ancient practice with the intent to graduate.

Guadalupe Maniero, the school’s director, explains that in Mexico, “hospitals are oversaturated, and so it’s a big problem.” Since the 2011 law that grants midwives a place among the country’s legally accepted medical professions, age-old stigmas have begun to fade. By helping to deliver babies, doctors have much more time to spend focusing on dangerous births in which the child and/or mother are in danger.

The four-year program grants its graduates certificates that allow them to practice in legitimate health centers. By interweaving longstanding cultural traditions with modern-day needs and practices, Mexico’s first midwifery school has the potential to benefit the entire country for years to come.

– Jake Simon

Source: NPR