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The Top Diseases in Malaysia

Top Diseases in Malaysia
With a vast population of more than 30 million people, the Southeast Asian country of Malaysia has proven to be susceptible to numerous outbreaks and diseases. According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2014 Country Profile of Malaysia, cardiovascular disease is listed as the leading cause of death at 36 percent, affecting all ages and both sexes. Communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions are the second highest cause of death at 16 percent, followed by cancer at 15 percent. The remaining percentages consisted of a combination of other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), injuries, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. The most recent data covering top diseases in Malaysia is discussed below.

Top 7 Diseases in Malaysia

Coronary heart disease

According to the WHO, Coronary heart disease ranks number one in terms of both diseases and health-related problems, responsible for 29,363 deaths. Coronary heart disease is the buildup of plaque in the heart’s arteries, which often leads to heart attacks.

Stroke

Stroke is the second-largest cause of death in Malaysia, as it affects approximately 40,000 people each year.

Influenza and pneumonia

Influenza and pneumonia have caused 11,773, or 9.26 percent, of total deaths. Influenza (flu) is a severe viral infection that is highly contagious. Pneumonia is a serious infection or inflammation of the lungs.

Lung diseases

Lung diseases are another one of the top diseases in Malaysia, with 6,797 recorded deaths.

Diabetes mellitus

The total number of deaths as a result of diabetes amounts to 4,760. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic, lifelong condition that affects the body’s ability to use the energy found in food, whether that be a lack of insulin, or an inability to use the insulin that is produced.

HIV/AIDS

As of 2015, 91,600 people in Malaysia live with HIV/AIDS, and 7,200 deaths have come from the disease.

Leptospirosis

In 2016, leptospirosis, a water contact disease, was classified as one of the top diseases in Malaysia. Humans can become infected through contact with water, soil or food contaminated with the urine of infected animals. Without adequate treatment, leptospirosis can lead to kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, respiratory distress and in extreme cases, death.

Various diseases continue to present concerns for Malaysia and its people. It is necessary that both the public and professionals are aware of these diseases in order to provide affected individuals with the proper healthcare and assistance that they need.

– Mikaela Frigillana

Photo: Flickr

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Top Three Deadliest Diseases in Cameroon


With highly-publicized diseases like the Zika virus present in Cameroon, it is easy to overlook risks posed by more common diseases. However, with the country lacking resources and proper healthcare, preventable or treatable diseases are common in Cameroon. Listed below are the top three deadliest diseases in Cameroon.

1. HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death in Cameroon, accounting for 13.4 percent of deaths. Cameroon has one of the highest rates of HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa. Six new HIV infections occur every hour. While the number of infections in Cameroon has rapidly increased since the 1990s, recent efforts to combat the disease could help decrease the rate of infection. Subsequently, the government has launched initiatives to increase testing, encourage condom use, and bring better healthcare to regions with the highest rates of infection.

2. Lower Respiratory Infections

As one of the top diseases in Cameroon, lower respiratory infections kill about 29,000 people annually. That equates to 12.2 percent of deaths each year. These infections cause illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchitis. Lower respiratory infections are very common around the world and easily treated and prevented in most developing countries. However, a lack of adequate healthcare and awareness about prevention in Cameroon can make these infections deadly.

3. Diarrheal Diseases

Despite being easily prevented, diarrheal diseases still account for 14.4 percent of deaths in Cameroon. Diarrheal diseases disproportionately affect people living in poverty and in developing countries, where poor environmental sanitation and inadequate water supplies are more common. Although easily treatable, diarrheal diseases remain a top killer in the country. Simple interventions such as vaccines, oral rehydration tablets, and education initiatives about sanitation, could make a huge difference in preventing diarrheal diseases.

Despite the deadliest diseases in Cameroon being preventable and treatable, they remain widespread. Putting more resources toward basic healthcare and raising awareness about these diseases could help save thousands of lives each year.

– Alexi Worley

Photo: Flickr

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The Top Three Deadliest Diseases in Ethiopia

Diseases in Ethiopia
Despite being one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia still suffers from structural and economic problems. The deadliest diseases in Ethiopia are often preventable. However, a lack of resources can make them difficult to prevent or treat. Here are the top three deadliest diseases in Ethiopia:

1. Lower Respiratory Infections

Lower respiratory infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis, are the number one cause of death in Ethiopia. This infection accounts for 10 percent of deaths each year. Acute respiratory infections, which are typically shorter term but when untreated can lead to death, are especially common. On average, Ethiopian children suffer from four to eight infections each year. Undernutrition is a culprit in the high rate of infections in Ethiopia. In a study, the World Health Organization found that in Ethiopia, 42 percent of children hospitalized for pneumonia had a severe vitamin D deficiency. Improving access to nutrients is key to reducing infections, since undernutrition increases the severity and prevalence of lower respiratory infections.

2. Diarrheal Diseases

Ethiopia has one of the highest rates of rotavirus, the most common cause of severe diarrhea around the world. Diarrheal diseases cause eight percent of deaths in Ethiopia each year. They are also a leading killer of children, causing 14 percent of deaths in children under five. Diarrheal diseases can sometimes be treated with rehydration tablets. However, they are more easily prevented through improvements in sanitation and water and access to the rotavirus vaccine.

3. HIV

HIV/AIDS is one of the deadliest diseases in Ethiopia. It accounts for seven percent of deaths each year and has led to a seven-year decrease in life expectancy. One of the greatest issues in Ethiopia is passing of the disease during birth. There are approximately 90,000 HIV-positive pregnant women. This results in around 14,000 HIV-positive births and 800,000 orphans due to the disease annually. In order to combat this, the government has been pushing to increase partner and family counseling programs that work to educate and reduce transmissions to pregnant women. Progress has been made, as HIV testing and partner counseling has increased in recent years from 13 percent to 51 percent.

Despite the deadliest diseases in Ethiopia being easily preventable, they remain widespread. That said, recent increases in resources and support show promising progress in combating and halting the spread of these diseases in Ethiopia.

– Alexi Worley

Photo: Flickr

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Top Diseases in Lesotho

Top Diseases in Lesotho
Lesotho is a small landlocked country in Southern Africa. The country, with a population of 2.1 million, suffers from high rates of poverty with more than 50% of the population living below the income poverty line of $1.25 a day. The majority (72%) of the population lives in rural areas far away from services, like healthcare.

Many people in Lesotho thus face barriers to accessing healthcare because of the cost of traveling to distant healthcare facilities. A shortage of skilled health workers only adds to this problem.

Lesotho has one of the highest mortality rates in Southern Africa and an average life expectancy of only 49 years. These are the top diseases in Lesotho:

  • HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis: Lesotho has the third-highest HIV infection rate in the world, with almost 23% of adults aged 15-49 affected and more than 9,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2014. Of the people infected with HIV, 80% are also infected with tuberculosis.
  • Lower respiratory infections: Lower respiratory infections like pneumonia affect many people in Lesotho. Lower respiratory infections result in an annual mortality rate of 120 deaths per 100,000 people. One of the main causes of these infections is household air pollution from solid fuels used for cooking and heat.
  • Diarrheal Diseases: Lack of access to clean water and adequate sanitation contributes to high rates of diarrheal diseases. While diarrheal diseases do not necessarily cause many deaths, they contribute greatly to the overall disease burden in the country.
  • Non-communicable diseases: Like many other countries in Africa, Lesotho has seen a spike in cases of non-communicable diseases in recent years. This rise is due to various lifestyle risk factors like smoking, alcohol consumption, high blood pressure and obesity. The most common non-communicable diseases are cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer. In 2014, non-communicable diseases accounted for 27 % of total deaths.

While most of the top diseases in Lesotho are infectious diseases, lifestyle diseases are increasingly contributing to the overall disease burden of the country.

– Helena Jacobs

Photo: Flickr

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Improvements in Global Health During Your Lifetime

Health
Discussions on global health often focus on the challenges still faced. Undeniably, there is still a lot of work to do to fight diseases and to ensure that everyone has the chance to lead a healthy life, but the progress made is often overlooked. The last few decades have seen many advances in medicine and technology, along with greater commitment to address global health issues. Is this paying off?

These are the improvements in global health made in the last 25 years:

  • Global life expectancy has increased by six years – from 66 to 72 years. In 1991, only 57 percent of newborns lived in countries where they could expect to reach their 60th birthdays. In 2015, 84 percent of newborns could expect to reach their 60th birthday and five percent could even reach their 80th birthday.
  • There has been a huge decline in childhood deaths. In 1991, more than 12 million children under the age of five died; in 2015 this is down to just under six million.
  • Several medical breakthroughs were made, including rapid diagnostic tests for malaria, antiretroviral drugs to manage HIV, the MenAfriVac that protects against meningitis A in sub-Saharan Africa and the Ebola vaccine.
  • Vaccines have played a big part in controlling infectious diseases such as measles, rubella, whooping cough, tetanus, diphtheria and polio. One example of the impact of vaccines is the progress that has been made in eradicating polio. In 1991, there were more than 13,000 cases of polio; in 2015 this was down to only 74 cases.
  • Even the diseases we are still struggling with, like malaria, are causing fewer deaths due to better prevention and control measures. Malaria mortality rates have fallen by 29 percent globally since 2010.

If you are interested to see what improvements in global health have happened in your lifetime, visit Mosaic Science.

– Helena Jacobs

Photo: Flickr

Why the Healthcare in Cyprus Needs Improvement

Why the Health Care in Cyprus Needs Improvement
Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean, is considered a high-income country. Despite the country’s positive economic reputation and the population’s high average life expectancy of 80 years (as of 2012), the country’s Minister of Health, Androulla Agrotou, states that the health care in Cyprus needs reformation to be more economically beneficial and sustainable.

One major issue that affects this economic inefficiency is the inability of the Ministry of Health to offer universal healthcare. In fact, Cyprus is the only EU country that has not implemented a universal health care system. Currently, the healthcare in Cyprus provides two main options: public and private.

Public healthcare is funded by the government and provided by hospitals and primary healthcare centers directly under the Ministry of Health. It is provided in many forms ranging from emergency services to pharmaceutical services, dental care and rehabilitation. Furthermore, public healthcare is offered to everyone in medical emergencies and accidents.

Conversely, private healthcare in Cyprus mostly depends on financing by outside individual pocket payments and voluntary health insurance, such as independent health practitioners and private partnerships between doctors.

Director of the Health Insurance Organization (HIO), Andreas Demetriades, asserts that, since the public and private work in isolation, this arrangement leads to duplication and waste of resources. Demetriades explains that this funding split results in little continuity of care between the private and public sectors, along with poor communication between doctors.

Furthermore, Demetriades cites other issues that affect the quality of medical care in Cyprus, such as that public sector hospitals are poorly organized and inconvenient for users. Since there is no organized system of primary care, and there is an inadequate regulation of private sector providers, this means that poor-quality clinical services are common.

The most common diseases and leading causes of death in Cyprus are prostate cancer among men and breast cancer among women. In a recent article published in the Cyprus Mail, Health Minister, Yiorgos Pamborides, states that the most common form of cancer in Cyprus is breast cancer “with some 550 new cases and 100 deaths per year.”

Fortunately, after the President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, recently opened Cyprus’ first specialized breast center, defining it as “a prerequisite for a modern state [that comes] at a significant point in [the Cypriot] health sector.”

As a result, Anastasiades is optimistic about the center acting as a catalyst for health reform. He informs that the Council of Ministers submitted two bills for the autonomy of public hospitals and the introduction of the national health system to the House of Representatives.

The absence of a universal health care in Cyprus has been debated for decades. However, now that there are bills granting autonomy to public hospitals and taking steps to alter the way the health system is organized, a new health system in Cyprus that is modern and efficient will be within closer reach.

– Andrea Philippou

Photo: Flickr

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Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS: The Top Diseases in Namibia

Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS: The Top Diseases in Namibia
Life expectancy in Namibia has risen over the past 10 years. However, the country still struggles with communicable diseases, which are the largest leading factors of deaths in Namibia. The top diseases in Namibia are tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

Namibia ranks fourth as one of the countries most afflicted by tuberculosis (TB). The burden of TB has significantly dropped since 2004, when it peaked at 350,000 incidents. Although the number has been steadily dropping — declining 9,950 last year — the number of incidents is up from the previous year.

Yet, this increase is not altogether a negative indication of the preventative methods being deployed to fight diseases in Namibia. In fact, the higher number is due to the new testing measures, which have been able to reach more Namibians and give them a more accurate screening for TB.

The majority of TB care and prevention is funded by the Namibian government (domestic). However, the strength of this epidemic is not one they can fully contain on their own. The Namibian government is in need of more resources than they currently have. The nature of TB, such as long-lasting dormancy and ease of contraction, makes the elimination of this disease difficult.

Unfortunately, the prevalence of HIV also fuels the high contraction rate of tuberculosis. About 41 percent of those with TB also have HIV. Due to a severely compromised immune system, HIV/AIDS and TB often mix for a lethal combination.

HIV/AIDS are currently the diseases in Namibia associated with the highest death rates, claiming over 3,500 lives each year. There are 214,956 diagnosed cases of HIV in Namibia and only 68 percent of them are receiving antiretroviral treatment (ARV). Unavailability of treatment is the leading contributor to the death rate among those with HIV. There are at least 42,500 people that are suffering from HIV in immediate need of antiretroviral medication.

The deputy health minister also pinpoints a weaken health care system as a factor in Namibia’s inability to treat a majority of HIV-positive patients. There are less than two health care workers for every 1000 citizens, fewer in remote areas. Retaining health care workers is a crisis in Namibia. Without the proper amount of healthcare providers to cater to the needs of the people, especially those with HIV, patients cannot receive care in a timely manner.

The U.S. is currently invested in aiding Namibia’s struggle with TB and HIV. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) acts with the Namibian government in a multitude of ways to help stop the epidemics of both HIV and TB.

Together they have increased care for orphans and vulnerable children, expanded testing and awareness. PEPFAR is also working to re-manage the congested healthcare centers to allow for better treatment. PEPFAR’s current aim is to help the Namibian government reach their goal to have 80 percent of those with HIV on ARVs by 2017.

The Namibian government feels that the prevention of HIV for the future begins with the youth of today. If they can explain the risks and the best ways to prevent HIV, before children or young adults get infected, the chance for new incidents will decrease.

As the past decade has shown, with the efforts of the Namibian government and foreign relief, the burden of diseases in Namibia can only continue to decline.

– Amy Whitman

Photo: Flickr

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Indonesia Facing Diseases That Are Wreaking Havoc

Indonesia Facing Diseases
Humans struggle with diseases all around the world, but they become much more life threatening in impoverished countries. As a tropical country, Indonesia facing diseases is paramount in the attempt to improve development.

In Java, Indonesia there is a resurgence of diphtheria in children, mainly due to parents’ resistance to vaccinating their children. Lymphatic Filariasis (elephantiasis), polio and bird flu have all taken a great toll on Indonesia and its inhabitants. These diseases in Indonesia not only affect individuals’ lives, but also negatively impact Indonesia’s social and economic development. In order to control infectious diseases, the government must be able to implement effective interventions.

For bird flu specifically, all suspected infected poultry must be reported and then killed. The government has been very inconsistent in applying this rule but must take action if it wants to eliminate bird flu. Many farmers hide their flocks in fear of having their birds killed; the farmers care more about their loss of livelihood than the spread of disease.

In the peer-reviewed journal, PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases stated that Indonesia has some of the world’s highest concentrations of tropical diseases, holding back Indonesia’s emerging market status. High rates of disease are commonly found in low-income countries due to poor economic growth. However, Indonesia has experienced economic growth at an average of 6 percent over the recent years and its middle class is projected to double in size over the next decade.

Indonesia is the only country in Southeast Asia with prevalent schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease prevalent in communities deprived of potable water or sufficient sanitation. Adding to that, almost 10 percent of the world’s leprosy cases are in Indonesia. Additionally, the World Health Organization is cautioning individuals about the emerging threat from dengue fever in Indonesia, which Indonesia is already spending a lot of money on — 323 million in 2010.

If Indonesia does not implement better controls to reduce these diseases, their future growth and economic gains could easily be thwarted, mainly due to the country’s negative impact on child development, labor and health.

In order to start controlling these infectious diseases USAID and other NGOs are working to improve health efforts in Indonesia. USAID currently has programs in both maternal and child health, infectious diseases (TB, HIV/AIDS), pandemic threats, neglected tropical diseases as well as water and sanitation issues.

To control infectious diseases USAID is partnering with Indonesia’s National TB Program to help treat and combat the disease for Indonesia’s future. One big step that was made was in 2012 when USAID introduced GeneXpert technology, which diagnoses multi-drug resistant TB in hours instead of months; this act alone has helped save countless lives. For HIV and AIDS, USAID is providing technical support to the Ministry of Health (MOH) to hasten prevention measures being used by the Indonesian individuals.

Lastly, Indonesia facing diseases has caused pandemic threats to the country. USAID has been engaging in a multitude of actions to stop these outbreaks. Along with plenty other assistance, USAID helps the Indonesian government identify and respond to risks as quickly as possible, in addition to increasing access to safe water and sanitation efforts.

Clearly, USAID and other public-health measures have made some progress. A recent study indicates that if it wants to keep the growth train running, Indonesia facing diseases will need to step up its outreach to better eliminate disease, which USAID has started. Hopefully, these positive impacts will end disease in Indonesia soon.

– Bella Chaffey

Photo: Flickr

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The Top Diseases in Germany and Poverty’s Effects on Health

he Top Diseases in Germany and Poverty's Effects on Health

Even the most prosperous countries struggle to combat epidemics, which often disproportionately affect the poor. The top diseases in Germany, where poverty is on the rise despite a growing economy, are heart and lung diseases.

Top Diseases in Germany: Facts and Figures

Although the prevalence of ischemic heart disease dropped by 8.2% from 2005-2015, it remains the leading cause of premature death in Germany, closely followed by lung cancer, which has risen by 3.6% in as many years.

Studies by the German Health Update (GEDA) support a correlation between poverty and disease, and more specifically, heart and lung disease. Women at risk of poverty statistically experience more bronchial asthma and higher blood lipid levels, which can lead to cardiac disease, than their high-income counterparts. Likewise, low-income men proved more susceptible to heart problems, among other ailments, than high-income men of the same age group.

The obvious question is why? Low-income Germans engage in more health-risk behavior than the upper-class. GEDA finds that men and women who are at-risk-of-poverty are 1.3 times more likely to smoke than those with high-incomes, and due to a lack of exercise and a higher consumption of budget foods like potatoes, white bread and sausages, the ratio of obesity for low-income to high-income women is 3.3 to 1, and for men 1.6 to 1.

But can this health disparity really be reduced to the habitual differences between Germany’s rich and the poor? The GEDA study also attributes increased disease incidence among the poor to psychosocial stress. Experiences of exclusion, social comparison and anxieties about the future, all of which are more common to the impoverished, cause health-impairing stress, which insufficient social support exacerbates.

In an interview with the Foreign Policy Group in February 2016, a low-income woman named Heike Wagner explains, “If you don’t have any money [in Berlin], it’s really hard to be part of the group. Going to a bar, to the movies, you can’t do it…If you have friends with a good job, it’s tough to keep up those friendships.” In addition to the inaccessibility of healthy foods, the absence of physical recreation, the prominence of dangerous habits and the general stress of financial insecurity, social isolation deteriorates the health of Germany’s poor.

Because of the tight entanglement of income and health, combatting poverty ought to further the cause of disease prevention. With poverty “at its highest level in Germany since reunification 25 years ago,” political efforts to protect citizens’ health are crucial.

Programs Designed to Reduce Disease and Poverty

Among several efforts to reduce the top diseases in Germany across all economic backgrounds, the Federal Center for Health Education coordinates the Health Promotion for the Socially Disadvantaged network. Meanwhile, Federal Health Reporting continuously monitors and publishes data on the link between poverty and health to educate the public and inspire political change.

The German Heart Foundation (GHF) sponsors school programs which aim to impart preventative habits early in life. Skipping Hearts teaches children rope skipping and educates them about their hearts’ reactions to exercise and diet. GHF also brings the European Non-Smoking Project’s “Be Smart — Do Not Start” program into German schools.

Every November, GHF hosts a national campaign called Heart Weeks to inform the public about heart health. Cardiologists and heart health professionals give more than 1,200 seminars in hospitals and clinics across Germany.

Additionally, the National Action Plan, IN FORM, spreads awareness about nutrition, physical activity and well-being to encourage citizens to adopt healthy lifestyles. The program began in 2008 and is set to conclude in 2020.

– Robin Lee

Photo: Flickr

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Improving Water Quality in Haiti Benefits Thousands

Water Quality in HaitiThe water quality in Haiti is in desperate need of improvement. The World Bank hopes to increase access to clean water because “[it] not only saves lives, but [it] also [helps] reduce poverty and improve the livelihood opportunities of these communities,”  reports Mary Barton-Dock of the World Bank Special Envoy.

The lack of proper sanitation and unsafe water quality in Haiti fosters the spread of disease. For example, a cholera epidemic ensued after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and 8,700 lives have been lost since. Although diagnosed cases of cholera have decreased, heavy rains in the early months of 2015 brought a surge of new cases.

Stand pipes or water points with hand pumps are the main systems used for water transportation in Haiti. Due to lack of funding, many of these water systems are no longer in service. Thankfully, the World Bank found a way to improve the situation by funding a program located in the southern region of Haiti. This global organization built professional operators whose main purpose is to maintain many of the water supply systems.

Over 60,000 people have benefited from these system improvements. The program also helped train community health workers and medical personnel, as well as strengthening the country by making it more self-sustaining.

The Board of Directors of the World Bank also authorized a $50 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA). “The Sustainable Rural and Small Towns Water and Sanitation project aims to save lives by preventing cholera and waterborne diseases in high prevalence zones, and strengthen the capacity of local agencies to deliver water and sanitation services in rural areas and small towns.” This grant will help nearly 300,000 people gain access to potable water and proper sanitation.

This project will also be linked to a ten-year, government-supported Cholera Elimination Plan. This long-term plan will save thousands of Haitian kids from waterborne, disease-related deaths. Benito Dumay, the Director General of the National Water and Sanitation Directorate, understands how essential healthy water quality is for Haiti, and is determined for the project to succeed.

Water is a catalyst for life, and now thousands of Haitians will be able to access this life-saving liquid for the first time. The World Bank reached out to the U.N., the U.N.’s development partners and the Haitian Government to collectively discuss the financing gap and what they learned about fighting cholera.

The Borgen Project has also done a great deal of work at the political level when it comes to advocating for clean water and sanitation. This nonprofit helped build support for the Water for the World Act. The organization also met with hundreds of Congressional offices, equating to 410 meetings, to discuss activism regarding water-quality programs.

Between 2009 and 2014, The Borgen Project helped mobilize thousands of Americans to email and call their congressional leaders in support of the Water for the World legislation. The bill was passed in December 2014, and millions of people gained first-time access to potable water and appropriate sanitation.

As numerous organizations fight the battle for water quality in Haiti and around the world, their tremendous progress makes the future of water quality that much clearer.

– Terry J. Halloran

Photo: Flickr