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Disease Prevention in Sierra Leone

Disease Prevention in Sierra LeoneDisease has inflicted much damage across Sierra Leone, causing the country to have an average life expectancy of only 61 years compared to the global average of 73. However, with help from various health organizations and policies, disease prevention in Sierra Leone has improved.

Infection Prevention and Control

During the Ebola outbreak from 2013 to 2015, 8,706 citizens of Sierra Leone were infected with Ebola. At the time, limited awareness of hygiene and infection control was an issue among Sierra Leone’s healthcare providers. To combat this, Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health and Sanitation created a National Infection Prevention and Control Unit, or NIPCU, to provide oversight in all Health care processes. With the new implementation of policies and standardized training, the NIPCU serves to bring a united front for disease prevention in Sierra Leone. 

As of 2016, the NIPCU established 28 isolation units across Sierra Leone, providing a total bed capacity of 190, and trained a total of 8,221 health workers. The Infection Prevention and Control policies provided a much-needed form of organized education and training within Sierra Leone. However, caring for the ill requires a group effort.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Going hand in hand with IPC, the Centers for Disease Control began helping Sierra Leone during the Ebola epidemic by training healthcare workers. The CDC also supported Sierra Leone during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a total of 7,674 confirmed cases. To combat COVID-19, the CDC introduced an IPC Certification Course, whose graduates continue assisting people infected with COVID-19. 

As of March 2021, 43 graduates of Sierra Leone’s Advanced IPC Certification Course serve as mentors and supervisors, providing continued oversight of the practices established by the IPC and CDC. The success of the CDC continues to guide Sierra Leone towards other disease treatments. According to the CDC, Sierra Leone’s National HIV Response is looking at epidemic control by 2030.  

International Federation of Red Cross

 

Supporting the Sierra Leone Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross has helped prepare communities to stop the spread of diseases, such as measles, Acute watery diarrhea, and viral hemorrhagic fever. The IPC and the CDC focus on preparing communities for outbreaks and disease prevention in Sierra Leone. However, the IFRC emphasizes community engagement, resilience building, education, and transportation in addition to their volunteer and training efforts. Activities include:

  • Preparing various sectors on how to  respond to potential outbreaks to maintain the economy
  • Training media to convey important lifesaving information to affected communities
  • Interacting with students, teachers, and schools to prepare them with important epidemic messages and referrals.

The IFRC and Sierra Leone Red Cross have trained over 200 government partners and volunteers in disease preparedness and community surveillance.

The organizations and policies working in Sierra Leone have made strides in creating a standardized system for monitoring, preparation, and prevention in Sierra Leone. While there is still work to be done in improving health in the country, the progress made in education and training in Sierra Leone is essential in the journey ahead.

– Matthew Perduk

Matthew is based in Chantilly, VA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Spain Leads Infant Health Breakthrough Against RSV Infections

rsv infectionsSpain has emerged as a global leader in protecting infants from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), launching a successful immunization campaign that dramatically reduced hospitalizations and intensive care admissions. According to Salut, the campaign cut ICU admissions by 90% and hospitalizations by 87%, while the overall number of RSV infections dropped by 68.9%.

In 2022, the European Union (EU) authorized the use of nirsevimab, the first monoclonal antibody (mAb) designed to prevent lower respiratory tract infections caused by RSV in newborns and infants during their first exposure to the virus. Carlos Rodrigo, clinical director of pediatrics at Germans Trias I Pujol Hospital in Badalona, praised the campaign’s acceptance rate. “The population’s acceptance rate was very high, as shown by the 87.7% coverage in Catalonia,” Rodrigo said. “If not surpassed, the expectations have been completely fulfilled.” Children under 6 months of age carry the highest risk and economic burden from RSV infections in Spain, making early prevention efforts especially critical.

Understanding RSV and Its Global Impact

RSV stands as one of the most common childhood infections and ranks as a leading cause of hospitalization in children under 5. Most children contract the virus by the age of 2. For infants and toddlers, RSV can cause serious symptoms, including breathing difficulties, low oxygen levels and dehydration. The virus plays a major role in global morbidity and mortality among children by driving epidemics of acute lower respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Recognizing this impact, Spain introduced its monoclonal antibody as a proactive measure to prevent severe RSV infections in infants and reduce strain on health care systems.

How Spain’s Monoclonal Antibody Strategy Works

Unlike vaccines that train the immune system over time, monoclonal antibodies like nirsevimab deliver immediate protection. This quality makes them especially useful during an infant’s first RSV season, when timely immunity matters most. Rodrigo emphasized the breakthrough: “The success of the measure is so evident that this year many other countries—such as the United States (U.S.), the United Kingdom (U.K.), Germany and Italy—will surely adopt it. The antibody is very well tolerated and the results are among the most spectacular ever seen in medicine.” He likened Spain’s RSV antibody rollout to historic breakthroughs such as penicillin or the polio vaccine. “It’s a huge, spectacular success,” he added, “a saving of suffering for parents and babies and of very high costs for the health care system.”

Building a Blueprint for Global Infant Health

Spain’s RSV prevention campaign offers valuable lessons for health policymakers worldwide. To replicate its success, health systems may need to plan proactively, ensure supply chains and implement targeted infant immunization strategies. Monoclonal antibodies may become key tools for protecting vulnerable populations, not only in Spain but worldwide. By prioritizing infant health and embracing innovative tools, Spain has made a significant leap forward in health care. Its model shows that with foresight and coordination, countries could reduce hospitalizations, protect children and ease the financial strain on health care systems.

– Abirame Shanthakumar

Abirame is based in Ontario, Canada and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Vulnerable Communities: Yellow Fever in Peru

Yellow Fever in PeruThe Amazon rainforest offers amazing natural landscapes, but the dangers of diseases transmitted by tiny mosquitoes, like yellow fever, lie within them. Since early April 2025, Peru has seen an increase in yellow fever cases, mostly in vulnerable populations in the depths of the jungle and agricultural areas.

About Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is a disease transmitted by day-biting mosquitoes. It is considered a “High-threat disease” by the World Health Organization (WHO). Yellow fever does not have a specific antiviral drug to fight it once the virus is in the body. The best way to fight it is by preventing it with vaccination.

In early April, Peruvian authorities reported an outbreak of yellow fever cases in the regions of Amazonas, San Martín and Loreto. Yellow fever could reach a high 60% mortality rate in these regions because only a few people have been vaccinated in the past years.

The reach of vaccination campaigns shrank and vulnerable populations in less accessible areas like the jungle were affected. Twelve people died by the end of the month, all of them from vulnerable areas and without any records of previous vaccinations.

Effects on Vulnerable Populations in Peru

Mortality rates are higher among vulnerable populations, with 37 people already infected. Further, the U.S. Embassy in Peru and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued health alerts about the yellow fever outbreak, advising people to avoid areas affected by the disease. These warnings could result in reduced tourism, leading to a loss of income for many businesses that rely on it for their livelihood.

One of the biggest challenges preventing the disease is the logistical difficulty of distributing vaccines to remote areas. Vast distances and difficulty maintaining the cold chain in hard-to-reach regions significantly hinder vaccination coverage.

What Is the Government Doing?

The Peruvian government is trying to reactivate its vaccination campaigns, making resources available for people to find the closest vaccination centers. Peru’s Ministry of Health has announced a free vaccination campaign throughout the summer of 2025.

The Ministry of Health also sent 30,000 vaccines to the Amazon region in the past month, while volunteers are going town by town to vaccinate communities far from the few existing vaccination centers. However, Peru is not fighting the outbreak alone.

Since yellow fever also affects neighboring countries like Colombia and Ecuador, the Peruvian Ministry of Health joined forces in late April to launch a joint vaccination campaign along the border to prevent the disease from spreading between countries.

Final Remarks

Even though yellow fever has already claimed some lives in Peru, the government is taking action to prevent further spread and protect more people. Certain regions will inevitably face the consequences of this outbreak and the full economic impact, especially on families and businesses affected by the drop in tourism, remains uncertain until the epidemic is under control. 

– Luis Felipe Rios

Luis is based in New York, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pxhere

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Fighting Type 2 Diabetes in India

India’s Fight Against Type 2 Diabetes CrisisAccording to the Lancet, global diabetes rates among adults have doubled since 1990, rising from 7% to 14% in 2022. The most significant increase occurred in middle- and low-income countries. Notably, the study found that 60% of people with Type 2 diabetes lived in just six countries, with India accounting for the largest share at 212 million adults. As India’s economy and population have expanded rapidly over the past 35 years, so has the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes, particularly among the nation’s poorest communities.

Demographic Changes

Since 1990, India’s economy and population have surged, making it one of the world’s fastest-growing nations. The country’s economy has grown tenfold, increasing from $320 billion to $3.57 trillion. Meanwhile, its population has nearly doubled, rising from approximately 870 million to 1.42 billion.

The country has also experienced a significant rise in urbanization since 1990, with 519 million urban residents. While these demographic changes suggest economic progress, rapid population growth and urbanization have placed a strain on infrastructure and public services. Without sufficient investments in health care and education, these shifts can potentially widen inequalities, including access to health care. The increasing rates of Type 2 diabetes in India illustrate this challenge.

Since 1990, the number of people in India living with diabetes or classified as pre-diabetic has risen to 237 million as of 2023. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body fails to use insulin effectively to regulate blood sugar levels. If not diagnosed early or treated properly, complications can include heart and kidney disease, as well as foot and leg amputations.

Challenges in Diabetes Care Across India

Studies reveal that urbanization in India leads to higher consumption of energy-dense foods and reduced physical activity, increasing obesity rates and the risk of Type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic conditions. Low awareness of diabetes among India’s adult population underscores the need for better health monitoring and education. Treatment and control rates remain low, particularly in rural areas and among low-income populations, due to barriers to health care access and high treatment costs. Although low-cost glycemic medications are available, many individuals cannot afford them.

With too few trained diabetes educators in India, physicians bear the burden of patient education. Variations in diabetes education standards among universities lead to inconsistent patient education. The absence of national certification requirements and low-quality diabetes training at some universities hinder efforts to regulate diabetes care and education programs.

Disparities in diabetes funding across Indian state governments likely stem from varying awareness levels and the economic burden of diabetes care. Some states allocate significantly more resources to diabetes management than others, highlighting the need for a more standardized national approach. Without sufficient investment in awareness campaigns, medical training and affordable treatment options, diabetes will continue to pose a growing public health challenge in India.

A Hybrid Approach

Since 2010, the Indian government has introduced several measures aimed at increasing diabetes awareness through both physical and technological initiatives. These programs seek to reach as many people as possible, especially in underserved areas.

  • National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke (NPCDCS) – 2010. Launched in 2010, NPCDCS was designed to curb the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases, which had become more prevalent than communicable diseases. The program focuses on prevention, early screening and disease management while improving access to treatment—particularly for low-income populations.
  • mDiabetes Initiative – 2011. Developed by Arogya World in collaboration with Nokia, this mobile health initiative delivers text messages on diabetes management in 12 languages. It has reached 130 million people. A follow-up study found that 51.9% of participants underwent diabetes screening and 67.3% monitored their glucose levels. The Indian Ministry of Health later adopted the program, recognizing its success in raising awareness.
  • Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centers – 2018. These centers provide comprehensive health care services, including screenings for Type 2 diabetes. The initiative has significantly improved health care infrastructure, with 150,000 wellness centers now operational.
  • E-Sanjeevani Telemedicine Service – 2020. Launched by India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, E-Sanjeevani is a telemedicine platform that has facilitated more than 100 million virtual consultations since 2023. The service has played a vital role in bridging the gap between health care providers and patients, particularly for those in poverty who may struggle to access in-person consultations.

Looking Ahead

India’s rapid economic growth has coincided with a surge in Type 2 diabetes, particularly among low-income communities facing limited health care access and education. While urbanization and dietary shifts have contributed to rising cases, the government has implemented multiple initiatives to address the crisis. Programs such as the NPCDCS, mDiabetes, E-Sanjeevani and Ayushman Bharat have improved awareness, screening and access to treatment, especially in rural and underserved areas. However, continued investment in public health care, education and preventive measures could be essential to curb the growing burden of diabetes and ensure equitable health outcomes across all socioeconomic groups.

– Oliver Hedges

Oliver is based in Lancaster, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How Preventative Education Is Stopping Bird Flu In Cambodia

bird flu in cambodiaThis year has marked the spread of bird flu to a wide variety of countries in the world, with many individuals all across the globe feeling the effects of poultry and egg shortages as a result. While some countries are experiencing Bird Flu for the first time, others are going through repeated outbreaks. Bird flu in Cambodia remains a health concern for its population, and the most recent outbreak has caused the Cambodian government to pivot in their disease control strategy.

What is Bird Flu?

Avian Influenza, usually H5N1 in humans, is the virus that causes bird flu. While not very contagious within humans, bird flu is incredibly contagious within poultry. Chickens or other birds will get each other sick and while this normally is not an issue for human health when the illness stays within the animals, problems can arise when people spend extended periods of time around a large volume of infected animals. So far, most of the people who have contracted bird flu have either been farmers who have been tending infected animals or individuals who have consumed infected animals. Transmission can occur via direct contact, indirect contact (such as touching a contaminated surface), or inhaling the disease.

Additionally, Avian Influenza is highly infectious and fatal within poultry, carrying a 75% to 100% mortality rate within poultry. Historically, around half of all people with documented bird flu infections have died. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, confusion, and fever which eventually escalate into multiple organ failure.

Bird Flu in Cambodia

Bird Flu in Cambodia is by no means a new situation. In fact, the first outbreak of Bird Flu in Cambodia was back in 2003. Occasional and infrequent cases of Bird Flu in Cambodia were reported in humans until 2014, at which point no further cases were reported until 2022.

A gradual decrease in the public perception of bird flu’s threat has caused many individuals in Cambodia to grow lax with preventative health measures over the past few years. A study in Prey Veng in 2023 showed that 22.6% of individuals knowingly cooked and fed sick or dead poultry to their families. Additionally, 93% of the country’s poultry production is raised via backyard systems. While efficient, these backyard systems often come with diminished sanitization and a higher risk of disease transmission to humans.

Government Response

Responding to such a dangerous health crisis has been an uphill battle for the Cambodian government. One of the biggest challenges is disseminating information to an extremely rural population. As such, most of the work the Cambodian government has done on sharing information about bird flu in Cambodia has been on foot. Health care and government workers have been driving in on motorbikes to secluded populations to educate them about bird flu in hopes of preventing future cases and spreading awareness. Proactive preventative measures have been implemented as well, such as the treatment and culling of affected poultry, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In recent times, Cambodian officials have worked with national influenza centers to both curb the spread of the disease and raise awareness for bird flu in Cambodia. Cambodian influenza centers offer 24/7 laboratory testing for Cambodia’s population completely free of charge.

This recent pivot to a more preventative strategy has increased early detection, which can help stop the spread of bird flu to humans and increase treatment options within humans.

Moving Forward

While the bird flu in Cambodia situation has the potential to be a catastrophic event for the population, Cambodia’s government has made leaps and bounds in providing education and preventative care to a largely rural population. Through this preventative education and efforts to stop bird flu in Cambodia before it can spread further, Cambodian officials have successfully stopped an epidemic before it could spiral out of control.

– Mac Scott

Mac is based in Indianapolis, IN, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Jordan Becomes the First Leprosy-Free Country

jordan leprosy-freeJordan, officially named the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, hosts the fifth largest number of refugees per capita. Jordan regularly welcomes refugees from its neighboring countries and has taken in more than 640,000 Syrian refugees since the start of the Syrian Civil War in 2011. Despite Jordan’s cultural significance and international recognition, 24.1% of its population lives below the poverty line. Jordan continues to face challenges such as water scarcity and lack of arable land, while also hosting a large number of refugees, which are an economic challenge for the country. Despite these challenges, Jordan has just celebrated a major success by becoming the first leprosy-free country in the world.

Jordan: First Leprosy-Free Country

In September 2024, the World Health Organisation (WHO) awarded Jordan with a verification of becoming Leprosy-free. Jordan has not reported any Leprosy infections from within its borders in more than two decades and became the first country in the world to receive this verification by the WHO.

This success is in line with the WHO’s mission to eradicate leprosy. The WHO has launched the Towards zero leprosy Strategy 2021–2030, which works together with countries to achieve zero leprosy in the World. The WHO is working towards “zero infection and disease, zero disability, zero stigma and discrimination and the elimination of leprosy,”

There are still more than 200,000 new infections recorded worldwide, with more than half recorded in India. Leprosy is an infectious chronic disease caused by the Mycobacterium leprae. It is spread through droplets in the mouth and nose. Leprosy is transmitted by prolonged close contact with the infected. Once treatment is started people living with leprosy are no longer infectious. Left untreated, leprosy affects the skin, upper respiratory tract, and eyes and can lead to physical deformity. Leprosy is curable and treatable, and if treated early physical deformities can be avoided entirely. The treatment is a combination of three different antibiotics, namely dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine.

Stigma

Unfortunately, those affected by the disease not only suffer from the physical effects of leprosy but regularly suffer from stigmatization. These range from social isolation to financial hardship, as people who have visible deformations are often rejected by the job market. In some parts of the world, leprosy is regarded as divine punishment. It can also be used as grounds for a divorce.

WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia Saima Wazed congratulated Jordan for this major public health achievement: “Jordan’s elimination of this age-old disease is a historic milestone in public health and a huge success for efforts to eliminate leprosy globally. The fight against leprosy around the world is more than a fight against a disease. It is also a fight against stigma and a fight against psychological and socio-economic harm. I congratulate Jordan on its achievement.”

Jordan’s historic achievement highlights how closely collaborating with the WHO and following the guidelines as outlined by the WHO’s Towards Zero Leprosy strategy is the key to success in the fight against Leprosy. Such news inspires hope that other countries still affected by leprosy can have similar success.

– Salome von Stolzmann

Salome is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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UNICEF’s Oxygen Plant-in-a-Box

Oxygen Plant-in-a-BoxPneumonia kills more children than any other infectious disease. Each year, more than 7 million children under 5 require oxygen as a means of treatment for this. In 2020, UNICEF launched its Oxygen Plant-in-a-Box Project. This cost-effective project supplies hospitals with life-saving gas, a means of preventing millions of deaths from pneumonia.

Before 2020 – The Situation

As of 2018, pneumonia was responsible for 16% of child deaths, with the majority amongst children below the age of 2. It killed more children than diarrhea and malaria combined. Almost all cases of pneumonia can be prevented through early diagnosis and access to antibiotics and oxygen treatment. The problem lay and continues to lie with access to this healthcare.

Pneumonia does not have a single cause, it is an acute respiratory infection of the lungs, developing from either viruses or bacteria in the air. Once infected lungs become inflamed which causes difficulty breathing. The most common symptoms are coughing, fever and difficulty breathing.

The Role of Oxygen

When pneumonia develops, inflammation of the lungs stops enough oxygen from entering the bloodstream and circulating through the body. Access to oxygen in these cases becomes lifesaving. However, it has previously been unavailable to those in countries without strong health systems, only available in higher-level facilities and hospitals.

As the leading cause of preventable child deaths, pneumonia is more deadly to children in 124 low to middle-income countries who have limited or no access to health care. It leaves around 4.2 million children under 5 with dangerously low oxygen levels. This group is more vulnerable due to exposure to polluted air and higher rates of malnutrition and diarrhea, which leaves immune systems weaker.

UNICEF’s Oxygen Plant-in-a-Box Project.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF and partners have worked to improve basic oxygen access, coming up with their innovative Oxygen Plant-in-a-Box Project. The Oxygen-Plant in a box produces enough oxygen to treat up to 100 children with severe pneumonia. The package contains everything necessary to install and operate a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plant which is fully functional within days of being implemented at a health facility.

By December 2021, over 16 countries had ordered this product and were on the path to developing stronger health care systems. That month patients at the Soroti Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda were the first to receive life-saving oxygen from this project.

More about the Box

The package includes everything to produce large volumes of medical-grade oxygen for patients, with each plant holding the capacity to produce up to 720,000 litres of oxygen each day. These packages aim to support medium to large health facilities.

Kristoffer Gandrup-Marino, Chief of Product Innovation at UNICEF Supply Division, stated these plants could take up to six months to design and order, so they developed the pre-designed plants making the product cheaper and faster to manufacture and arrive, saving lives in the process.

Real Life Implementation

In Uganda, 6-month-old Constance suffered from a cough, fever and difficulty breathing. She went to her local hospital where they diagnosed her with pneumonia. Here, she was immediately provided with antibiotics and oxygen. UNICEF reports.

A few months prior this would not have been the case. Due to a deteriorating infrastructure, the Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital held very limited access to oxygen therefore constricting its ability to treat the increasing numbers of pneumonia cases in children. Now, with the Oxygen Pant-in-a-Box running, Constance is one of hundreds of children supplied with the proper medical care. The new plant covers an area of 2.8 million people, according to UNICEF.

Pneumonia is still the biggest infectious killer of children, with millions of children still contracting the infection. However, local and sustainable solutions will continue to be found to prevent more deaths from pneumonia. The Oxygen Plant-in-a-Box Project contributes to this goal, supplying oxygen to healthcare facilities and treatment to those who need it.

– Amelia Short

Amelia is based in Bradford, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Universal Health Care: Improving Diseases Impacting Togo

Diseases Impacting TogoThe top three diseases impacting Togo are lower respiratory infections, stroke and ischemic heart disease. However, Togo’s Universal Health Insurance program could be the solution to reducing the death rate of these diseases.

Health Care in Togo

In Togo, 45% of the population live below the poverty line, which means they face an economic barrier to accessing health care. Moreover, the health care system in Togo is heavily reliant on external funding and resources, so the current system cannot properly aid those suffering from various lethal diseases impacting Togo. This only furthers the need for a proper health care system. However, this need also increases the burden on the present system.

There is less than one doctor for every 10,000 Togolese compared to 36 doctors for every 10,000 Americans. Therefore, there needs to be improvements to access to health care in Togo. This lack of adequate health care coverage is why diseases impacting Togo are the leading causes of death.

Lower Respiratory Tract Infections

Lower respiratory tract infections make up 75 of every 100,000 deaths in Togo. As a result, they are the leading cause of death in Togo, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Lower respiratory tract infections occur when bacteria, viruses or fungi enter the lungs. Common lower respiratory tract infections include the flu, viral bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Anyone can develop a lower respiratory tract infection. However, young children, adults over 65 and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk of contracting these infections and dying from them.

Stroke

The second leading cause of death in Togo is stroke; making up 66 of every 100,000 deaths, according to WHO. Strokes occur when the blood supply to the brain begins decreasing. The reduction of blood supply prevents the brain from receiving nutrients and oxygen, resulting in brain cell death within minutes. Blood leaking also results in strokes and occurs when leaking blood in the brain increases pressure on brain cells and damages them.

Ischemic Heart Disease

Ischemic heart disease causes 45 of every 100,000 deaths in Togo, according to WHO. This heart disease occurs when there is a lack of blood flowing to heart muscles, often caused by fat and cholesterol collecting in coronary arteries. This disease therefore commonly causes chest pain, trouble breathing and heart attacks, which is why it is the third leading cause of death in Togo.

Improvements to Health Care

All of these diseases are preventable and or treatable. Yet, until there is adequate access to health care in Togo, these diseases could continue to be the top causes of death.

The Togolese government passed legislation in 2021 to begin developing universal health care and expects all resistance to have coverage by 2025. The program plans to provide health care for public and private sector employees, along with those on public assistance unable to pay. Employees will receive coverage through their and their employer’s contributions. While people unable to pay will revive funding through the government.

The health care program already has 800,000 people enrolled, which is 50% more than the previous 470,000 covered by the former program.

Investment in universal health care means investment in medical equipment, facilities and workers. Investing in these areas could increase the demand for workers. However, it could also increase the number of those seeking health care positions, which could lead to more health professionals able to help Togolese people.

Therefore, with universal health care, comes help for those suffering from the diseases impacting Togo.

– Nivea Walker

Nivea is based in Elon, NC, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Portable Labs for Diagnosing Diseases in Africa

Portable Labs for Diagnosing DiseasesAccess to health care poses a significant challenge in many African regions. Remote villages often lie hours or days from the nearest clinic and under-resourced hospitals struggle to provide timely diagnoses for diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. As a result, patients experience significant delays in receiving care, leading to high mortality rates for otherwise treatable diseases. However, the deployment of portable labs across Africa transforms health care by delivering essential testing and treatment services directly to these underprivileged communities.

The Need for Portable Labs

A disproportionate 25% share of the global disease burden falls on Africa. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB remain the leading causes of death in sub-Saharan Africa. Quick and accurate diagnosis is key to combatting these diseases. However, with more than half of its population deprived of health care access and Africa’s global health expenditure below 1%, lab infrastructure is often outdated. Sending samples to distant laboratories for analysis can take days or weeks, delaying life-saving treatments. Portable labs address this issue by equipping health care workers with the tools to conduct on-site tests. These compact, mobile units, designed for low-resource settings, can perform diagnostic tests within minutes, allowing for immediate disease diagnosis and treatment initiation.

How Portable Labs Work

Portable labs generally consist of compact machines capable of performing various diagnostic tests, revolutionizing health care in remote areas. A well-known portable lab is the GeneXpert System by Cepheid, which provides rapid molecular testing for different diseases, like TB and HIV. This system, requiring minimal training, delivers results in under three hours—a critical feature for timely patient treatment.

Another significant innovation is the SAMBA II machine from Diagnostics for the Real World, designed to diagnose HIV within two hours. It has seen wide deployment across sub-Saharan African clinics, including in Kenya, Uganda and Malawi. The SAMBA II operates without specialized lab infrastructure, making it an ideal solution for resource-limited regions. These devices, powered by battery packs or solar energy, make them highly adaptable to regions with unreliable electricity. They are also compact enough to be transported to remote villages, enabling health care teams to deliver diagnostic services where they are most needed.

Impact of Portable Labs

The use of portable labs for diagnosing diseases in Africa has shown promising results in the fight against diseases like TB and HIV. The introduction of Cepheid’s GeneXpert system in sub-Saharan Africa has led to a marked improvement in early TB detection and treatment, limiting community transmission. Similarly, the SAMBA II enables faster diagnosis and better monitoring of patients, which is essential in regions where health care workers need to track the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapies of HIV-positive patients. Thus, rapid on-site testing provided by portable labs ensures patients remain on the best possible treatment plans, improving health outcomes and reducing transmission rates. 

Looking Forward

As the use of portable labs for diagnosing diseases in Africa expands, the impact on public health is expected to grow. Indeed, governments, NGOs and international health organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of investing in these technologies to combat the continent’s most pressing diseases. These portable labs could become a cornerstone of Africa’s health care system. By making health care more accessible and effective, portable labs are not only saving lives – they are playing a vital role in the broader fight against poverty. Furthermore, by improving health care delivery, portable labs contribute to more resilient, healthier communities, laying the groundwork for long-term poverty alleviation and enabling individuals to break the cycle of poverty by improving health outcomes in some of Africa’s most vulnerable communities.

– Viola Cuthbertson

Viola is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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A Look at Yellow Fever in Gabon

A Look at Yellow Fever in Gabon Gabon, located on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, has a relatively high GDP for the region at $8,820, compared to nearby Nigeria at $2,162. Despite this high income, wealth distribution in Gabon is highly unequal, leading to widespread poverty. Of its 2.4 million residents, more than 900,000 live below the poverty line, subjecting a significant portion of the population to numerous hardships, including diseases. A particularly severe challenge in Gabon is Yellow Fever.

Yellow Fever Transmission and Risks in Gabon

Yellow Fever is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes and can spread in three primary ways. The intermediate cycle, most commonly observed in Africa, involves semi-domestic mosquitoes that contract and spread the disease. Although a vaccine is available, Yellow Fever is a fast-spreading illness that poses a significant danger and has the potential to spread internationally, making it a global threat. Effective management is crucial whenever outbreaks occur.

Health Infrastructure and Yellow Fever Preparedness

Currently, Gabon does not have any active Yellow Fever outbreaks, but the country remains at high risk for potential outbreaks. Gabon’s health system receives minimal government funding, amounting to only 3% of the country’s GDP. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that vaccination rates for Yellow Fever in Gabon are suboptimal, with less than 85% coverage nationwide. The risk of Yellow Fever has increased since the COVID-19 epidemic, which disrupted immunization services. Although the disruption was brief, it has increased the number of people susceptible to otherwise preventable diseases.

Yellow Fever Epidemics Strategy in Gabon

The WHO has designated Gabon as a high-priority target within its Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) strategy. WHO and its partner organizations are focusing primarily on maximizing vaccination rollout as part of this strategy. Alongside vaccinations, vector control measures have been implemented in urban centers across Gabon to eliminate potential wildlife carriers of the disease. WHO is also committed to educating travelers about the risks of Yellow Fever. Entry into Gabon requires a Yellow Fever vaccination and travelers are informed about the symptoms and signs to ensure prompt treatment if infected. This proactive approach helps prevent the international spread of the disease, which is one of the most critical aspects of managing Yellow Fever. The EYE strategy has proven effective not only in reducing cases in Gabon but also across Africa.

Looking Ahead

Gabon faces significant challenges in managing the risk of Yellow Fever due to unequal wealth distribution and a health system with limited funding. Although the country has no current outbreaks, it remains highly vulnerable. WHO’s Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics strategy focuses on increasing vaccination coverage and implementing vector control measures to mitigate this risk. These ongoing efforts aim to safeguard Gabon’s population and prevent the potential spread of Yellow Fever beyond its borders.

– Tyra Brantly

Tyra is based in Los Angeles, CA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr