The State of Global Health

Every single day over 7,400 people are newly infected with HIV, 5,500 die from aids related illnesses, and every 45 seconds malaria kills a child (Kripke, 2015). These are just a small portion of the myriad of diseases overtaking our world and largely the lower resource countries of the globe.

The reality of those living with disease in lower resource countries

With each day that goes by, more and more families and children are attacked or effected by these diseases. Knowledge about HIV is the first step to avoiding transmission and infection, yet this knowledge is hardly spread. Only one third of young men and only a fifth of young women are educated with basic facts in regards to the virus. There are more than 17.5 million children in lower resource countries who have lost either one or both parents due to aids. It has also been found that half of the world’s population is at risk of malaria, with an estimation that there were 863,000 deaths due to malaria in 2008. These numbers are greatly affected by that fact that most people who could benefit from available preventative tactics including treatment do not have access to them. Only around 7 percent of around 6 million people who desperately need treatment receive it, and the number of those in need increase by around 8,000 each day. All hope is not lost as the number of new HIV infections continuously fell from 3.5 million in 1996 to to 2.7 million in 2008. Deaths from aids related illnesses dropped from 2.2 million in 2004 to 2 million in 2008 (Jordan, 2019). Free access to treatment, insecticide treatment distribution, and educational programs are just a few examples of the small-scale improvements and efforts made.

Efforts made to reduce Malaria Outbreak

However, with this improvement new infections are consistently on the rise and must be consistently controlled and combatted against. It is evident that even with some improvement global efforts have not proven to be sufficient in controlling the spread of these diseases or extending the lives of the many that are infected daily.

Works Cited:

Bertozzi, Stefano. “HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment.” Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries. 2nd Edition., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Jan. 1970, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11782/.

HIV/AIDS: MSF medical response. (2019, October 7). Retrieved from       https://www.msf.org/hivaids.

Jordan, Rob. “Poverty as a Disease Trap.” Medical Xpress – Medical Research Advances and Health News, Medical Xpress, 3 Sept. 2019, medicalxpress.com/news/2019-09-poverty-disease.html.

Kripke, G. (2015, April 24). The Secret Malaria Project. Retrieved from    https://politicsofpoverty.oxfamamerica.org/2015/04/the-secret-malaria-project/.

Around the world over 780 million people live in extreme poverty and have less than $1.90 a day to spend. This is an amount that could never support a healthy lifestyle on any part of the globe. This terrifying statistic is the reality for a large portion of this considered lower resource countries. Without a sustainable income families and young children are forced into this reality. The devastating effects of malnutrition cannot be underestimated or overlooked. Lack of an established or consistent income leads to the 45% of children across the globe that dying due to chronic malnutrition (Ahmad, 2017).

Extremely malnourished children in Africa

It has also been determined that every single day 1,000 children under the age of five years old die from diarrheal diseases or cholera which are direct results of contamination of water and an overall lack of sanitation (Paulson, 2014). Children suffer the most when under these conditions as their bodies are not prepared to resist these attacks. It has been estimated that around 10% of children living with chronic malnutrition receive treatment for diarrheal diseases and cholera. That leaves a glaring 90% of children without any kind of treatment. This most likely ends in death for those children.

Lack of sanitation is a commonality in lower resource countries

Those born into poverty are automatically at a disadvantage. They suffer more and die younger. Good health contributes to overall wellbeing in a variety of ways, yet many living in poverty never get to experience the good. With good health comes an increase in labor productivity and financial consistency, as well as educational investment and attainment. As striking and negative as these facts and statistics seem, there is hope! Goals to improve these statistics have been moving towards achievement. More than one billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty since 1990. In 1990, more than half of low resource countries lived on $1.25 a day, but this dropped to 14% in 2015 (Ahmad, 2017).  Organizations, nonprofits, and many other humanitarian groups are working to to improve these conditions and achieve real change. However, the need is still great. Many must also continue to support growth and service with time and money. The number of children, families, and individuals living in extreme poverty with rampant disease and hunger remains far too high.

Works Cited:

Ahmad, A., & Ahmad, A. (2017, February 27). Parents blame children malnutrition on poverty. Retrieved from http://healthreporters.info/parents-blame-children-malnutrition-on-poverty/.

Global Poverty And Hunger. (2019, September 5). Retrieved from https://www.actionagainsthunger.org/global-poverty-hunger-facts.

MDG 1: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. (2015, December 7). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/topics/millennium_development_goals/hunger/en/.

Paulson, T. (2014, March 19). The cure for global poverty: Health. Retrieved from http://www.humanosphere.org/basics/2014/03/the-cure-for-global-poverty-health/.

Every single day in the year of 2017 around 810 women died due to entirely preventable causes in relation to childbirth and pregnancy. This adds up to around 295,000 women in total who died during and after their pregnancies due to preventable factors.  However, 94% of all of these types of deaths occurred in low resource countries (Kristof, 2013).

New mother in Africa feeds her baby

It is clear that in wealthier countries this is not an issue many people even consider. In other countries it is a painful reality and a fear inducing event in every way. The highest numbers of maternal deaths occur in places with entirely inadequate access to health services. The maternal mortality rate in low resource countries is 462 per 100,000 live births, while the maternal mortality rates in high income countries is 11 per 100,000 live births (Seal,2008). Poor women in remote areas are almost guaranteed to receive assistance during birth from completely unskilled and untrained help. In high income countries the mother would have guaranteed assistance from a trained midwife, nurse, or doctor. Most maternal deaths are preventable as their complications have been seen and treated for hundreds of years and have solutions that are very well known. It is critical that mothers and babies are monitored closely during and after birth and pregnancy as timely management can either make it or break it for the life of the mother and the baby.

Expectant mothers attempt to educate each other

Momentum is gathering within this issue and improvement has been made. Unfortunately, lower resource countries remain in a state of despair in regards to this issue.  Mothers in these countries need not only trained professionals to assist them but also beneficial basics like educated breastfeeding, soap and clean water alongside trusted medicines and new technology. Goals set towards the year 2030 strive to have less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births and under 5 years mortality as low as 25 per 1,000 live births (Kristof, 2013). It is clear through these goals that this issue has not been ignored, yet much more attention is needed to truly combat against it.

Works Cited:

Kristof, N. D. (2013, July 18). The free miracle food. Retrieved from http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/baby/breastfeeding/the-free-miracle-food-20130719-2q8lf.

Maternal mortality. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-   sheets/detail/maternal-mortality.

Seal, R. (2008, September 27). Why are mothers still dying in childbirth? Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/sep/28/sierraleone.internationalaidanddevelopment.

Under-five mortality. (2019, October 24). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/gho/child_health/mortality/mortality_under_five_text/en/.

Primary Education is generally defined as kindergarten through sixth grade. Primary education is something that many people across the globe take for granted every day. It may not seem to many to be a massive privilege, but to someone in a lower resource country primary education is usually an entirely foreign concept. About 57 million primary school age children do not attend any type of school in lower resource countries (Max, 2017).  Without primary school these children are put at an immediate disadvantage for the entirety of their life as they will not attain the ability to read or write. This deficit often carries over to the next generation of children creating a dangerous pattern. The importance of educating in lower resource developing countries cannot be overstated.

Volunteer teachers in Malawi hope to educate their children

Education may be what finally allows a family to come out of a cycle of sickness and poverty. When families and children learn about the importance of different farming techniques and healthy crops they see the nutritional values of food and how greatly that effects them.  It may also expose a mother to what foods are most beneficial during pregnancy or for babies growth. Education and the literacy that follows allows community to read about the importance of contamination and clean water to avoid a myriad of diseases. A spirit of education and being educated also allows for trusted voices to convey possibly lifesaving information in regards to preventative action and the spread of disease. Education in every possible way leads to combatting the cycle of poverty and the cycle of sickness and disease that comes as a result of poverty.

Trained volunteers teach young adults and children about the importance of Vaccinations

The benefits of education can be exponential and seem to permeate every aspect of life, including the health of a nation. The lack of Universal Primary Education is improving but still has massive room for growth. There were 100 million not attending primary school in 2000 and 57 million not attending primary school in 2015 (2019). 57 million remains a daunting and saddening number, as each day that passes children and adults move farther and farther from educational opportunities. Even as attention is given to ensure and encourage achieving universal primary education more attention and resources must be given.

Works Cited:

Education data. (2019, October 2). Retrieved from https://www.globalpartnership.org/data-and-   results/education-data.

Education in Malawi, Africa – General Information. (n.d.). Retrieved from             https://www.rippleafrica.org/education-in-malawi-africa/general-education-in-malawi-  africa.

Max. (2017, May 17). MDG 2: Achieve universal primary education. Retrieved from https://www.mdgmonitor.org/mdg-2-achieve-universal-primary-education/.

Poverty and Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.childfund.org/poverty-and education/.