Haiti's Recovery

Close to two years post the detrimental earthquake that hit Haiti, cleanup efforts have reached almost 50%.  Cleaning up close to half of the debris that was left from the natural disaster, aid relief is making progress in restoring the nation to it “normal” state.  From the help from Nongovernmental Organizations internationally and the Haitian government, efforts to relieve the aftermath of the earthquake as well as future preventative plans are being created.  The return of children to schools is one of the most important tasks to accomplish in returning Haiti to its pre-earthquake condition.  Ensuring there is an educated youth will promote the prosperity of the Haitian society.  Moreover, with the removal of debris from public, the public are able to return to their homes, at least what is left of them.  Displaced from their homeland, the Haitians or temporary refugees were faced with the adversity of surviving in the grim conditions. Refugees typically are limited in their availability to resources and health care.  Cleaning the debris and wreck from Haiti allows the return of the citizens and potentially the start to a better life than that of what they had living in their displaced locations.  The aid reliefs from the outside as well as inside efforts in Haiti are resulting in the functional return of the country.  Both the return of the indigenous to the land and the return of students to schools will continue forth setting Haiti with a successful recovery and future.

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:23059126~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html

Lethal Lead Poisoning in Nigeria

            Nigeria, one of Africa’s wealthiest countries, is facing a major health hazard, caused by local mining.  In Zamfara State, there has been a mass amount of lead poisoning cases found among the workers and village people.  This fatal illness has not only affected the working population in Nigeria, but also children living near the mines.  According to the World Health Organization, The Nigeria Federal Ministry of Health has stated that 43 villages have been infected with high amounts of lead poisoning.   Uniting with the UN, UNICEF and other organizations, aid is being reached to those infected.  With $1.9 million donates by the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, patients have access to x-rays, treatment for the lead poisoning and furthermore training for doctors.  On a governmental level, Nigeria is working to create new processes in mining to greatly reduce the risk of an even like this occurring again.  Taking these steps, despite the health hazard already occurring, will help improve the standard of living for those who reside in the developing area.  The accumulation of international aid groups demonstrates the world’s acknowledgement to ensuring health and the necessity to help those who fall below the basic standard of living.  

http://www.who.int/csr/don/2011_11_11/en/index.html

Aid Relief in Thailand

With the devastating floods engulfing Thailand, relief for the country is needed now more than ever.  Stranded with limited access to clean water and food, victims are on the door steps of infectious diseases.  Wiping out homes, buildings, health centers, and schools, the floods are leaving a destructive path.  UNICEF, a leading aid organization in fighting the aftermath of the floods in Thailand, is primarily focusing on the relief provided to the children affected by the damaging waters.  According to the UNICEF United States Fund, the organization has provided water purification drops (chlorine), soap, hand sanitizers, and food.  These necessities are vital in preventing the spread of communicable diseases.  With the increased water levels, Thailand is a breeding ground for diseases and viruses to spread.  Maintaining a clean, sanitary environment, with the use of soaps and sanitizers, will help deter the spread of disease.  Providing access to these amenities in their time of need will potentially reduce the death toll from this natural disaster. 

             Moreover, recognizing the importance of an education, UNICEF has provided emergency school kits, “school in a box”, to schools destroyed by the floods. In such boxes are materials needed for up to 80 children.  Focusing efforts on the continuation of education promotes a more successful, prosperous generation.  Able to support those both older and younger, the educated youth has the possibility to end the vicious cycle of poverty.  The efforts of UNICEF, through their emergency relief fund, are helping to not only fix an issue pressing overall health, but encouraging a promising future.

http://www.unicefusa.org/news/releases/unicef-emergency-thailand-flood.html

The Struggle of the South-Sudanese

Upon the independence of South Sudan from Sudan, many native South Sudanese are unable to return to their homeland, South Sudan.  With limited money and resources, many are stuck on the border in makeshift camps.  In addition to the financial struggle of those traveling, this developing region does not have adequate roads, thus limiting the transportation of individuals.    Similar to those in refugee camps, those held up on the border of these two countries are faced with disease and malnutrition.  Trapped in a “limbo”, the South-Sudanese have limited access to food and are living in low sanitation areas.  Threatened by the severe rains of the area, the South-Sudanese are potentially surrounded by damp conditions and ultimately place a halt in their return home.    A combination off all of these, damp conditions, inadequate living spaces, lack of food, serve as a dangerous recipe for contracting fatal diseases.   Because Sudan and South- Sudan are developing nations, the opportunities are restricted and the availability of nutritious foods, sufficient health care, and sanitary living quarters are highly rare. In an attempt alleviate the hardship these people face, NGO’s such as UNICEF and other organizations are providing aid such as vitamin supplements and clean drinking water to the “refugees”, especially those most vulnerable, children.  Moreover, these aid-relief organizations are helping the groups find a safe way to return to their homeland, South-Sudan.  In hardships such as this, it is vital to provide aid to those in need to ensure the over-all well-being of individuals worldwide.

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/southsudan_60379.html

Free Education for Haitian Children

The Governmental efforts in Haiti have allowed over 772,000 children to attend school for free.  This availability to an education is promising a better future for the youth in the nation.  Enabling the youth access to attend school creates the foundation for a prosperous life.  With the increased educated population the individual and the community aid for the betterment of Haiti.  The country’s budgeting to fund for this investment shows Haiti’s acknowledgment of the importance of education. According to the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI), it cost a parent the equivalent of $11 US dollars to pay for school fees and send to send their child to school.  In areas of such poverty, $11 is not manageable, especially when there are other basic health needs such as food and maintaining a shelter that need to be met.  Educating the youth provides them with opportunities in their future that they might not necessarily have been able to obtain without an education.  This achievement can be directly linked to the Millennium Development Goal number 2: Achieving Universal Primary Education.  By providing the youth of Haiti with an education has the potential to stop the vicious cycle of poverty and poor health.  Having the knowledge to make healthy life decisions overall will improve their wellbeing.  Moved by Haiti’s education reform, other programs are helping out to improve the lives of the children.  Groups such as the World Food Programme are donating daily meals to the children, to ensure they receive well-balanced, nutritious foods.  The aid received from all groups involved contributes to the hope of the success of the younger generations worldwide.   

http://www.ungei.org/haiti_2867.html

Rio de Janiero Conference

In an effort to address health disparities, leaders from numerous countries throughout the world gathered in Rio de Janiero, Brazil to discuss ways in preventing inequalities among nations.  According to the World Health Organization, between countries, there is a thirty six year difference between life expectancies within nations.  This discrepancy is a key issue to address, especially when health care is considered a right to all human beings.  The majority of inequalities lie in the stratification of social classes found within nations. The determinants of health play a role in affecting one’s health and their access to health care.  Because of the economic burden striking the world, the gap between nations and the health care provided has even further widened.  Limiting the access individuals have to health care only creates a system that results in a population unable to support their wellbeing sufficiently.  The socioeconomic status of countries creates the large break between matters of health.  Those with the money and availability to treatment enables them to secure a healthy lifestyle, where as those in nations that are still developing, their chances of receiving care are slim.  The conference in Rio de Janiero is the beginning step in addressing the global issue of inconsistencies in regards to health.  Although this is bringing attention to the issue, the actual flight in eliminating the inequalities will take a long time.  This issue, despite the being a timely process, will ultimately benefit those involved.  Creating health care for individuals who are not receiving what is considered the “standard” level will improve their overall state.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2011/health_inequities_20111019/en/index.html

WHO Warns Aganist Tuberculosis Cuts

                The efforts in combating Tuberculosis are easily shown thrown the decline in death rates worldwide from this disease.  The support in the fight against this illness from other nations and organizations has resulted in the drop of a 40% death rate according to the World Health Organization.  Although there are improvements internationally, there is one region not on track to meet the target of a 50% decline in death rates, that region being Africa.  Africa, behind in reaching an adequate standard of health is many aspects, is in need of funding in treating the Tuberculosis disease.  The World Health Organization is urging not to reduce funding toward research in treating the illness despite the positive numbers turning out in areas elsewhere.  Because of Africa’s lack of resources and availability to treatment, they indigenous are more susceptible to falling victim to the fatal disease.  With new strands and variations of Tuberculosis, exploration into finding new vaccines and medicines are vital more than ever.  A population high with people affect with HIV leaves their weakened immune systems vulnerable and more easily prone to developing the new form of Tuberculosis.  Having regions in the world where the target goal is not yet obtainable serves as an indication that work still needs to be completed.   By reducing the funding for research towards curing Tuberculosis, there will be patients unable to receive the medical attention needed and the declining mortality rate has the potential to rise again.  The aid from other countries and NGO’s leads to the betterment of developing nations.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2011/tb_20111011/en/index.html

Outreach to Guatemala

In the lecture presentation “Wuqu’ Kawoq: Strengthening Mayan Language and Medicine”, by Claire Melvine,  improving the health care and communication boundaries were discussed, especially reaching impoverished areas in Guatemala. The Non-Governmental Organization, Wuqu’ Kawoq, works on providing the people of this region with healthcare programs such as child malnutrition, primary pediatrics, and adult diabetes.  More importantly, pertaining to the Millennium Development Goal, Wuqu’ Kawoq offers women health care systems including education on contraceptives, the training of midwives, prenatal care, and clinical services. In the outreach to this deprived region, females are gaining the rights to bodies back.  By educating the prospective new mothers on the necessity of proper care of their bodies as well as their offspring, they are starting a new generation of healthy children.  Instilling the importance of child care, through pediatrics, the child mortality rate has the potential to be directly affected, in a positive way.

Not only aiding women, the Wuqu’ Kawoq has made it a mission to provide disadvantaged areas in Guatemala with clean, drinkable water.  The indigenous people have contaminated water supply where fecal matter and dead animals can potentially congregate.  In order to prevent viral diseases from spreading, the organization created and helped distribute bio sand water filtration systems that alleviate the quality of water. These cost-efficient systems can be built and used quite simply by the people in deprived areas.  Ensuring these water filtrations systems are cheap and an easy design makes it possible to issue numerous structures throughout the land, providing the people with access to the basic health need of sanitary water.  The efforts of this organization are directly benefiting the people who are limited to resources and medical care. 

Pledge in Defeating Noncommunicable Diseases

Working with the World Health Organization, WHO, the UN General Assembly stated their goal to create a commitment in the fight against noncommunicable diseases.  Such diseases are non-infectious and are long lasting.  A top priority for the organizations to combat are diabetes, heart disease, strokes, and caner, all leading causes of death among people internationally.   Besides the genetics aspect of these diseases, there are determinants that individuals make to potentially heighten the risk of acquiring such an illness.  Smoking, nutrient lacking diets, and lack of exercise are all contributors to the communicable diseases that are taking the lives of people worldwide.  The World Health Organization and UN General Assembly plan to provide regions of the world in need with education on promoting a healthy lifestyle and precautions to take to ensure these fatal diseases do not impact their lives.  In addition to the educational programs, the two organizations plan to provide regions heavily affected with disease with proper agricultural products as well as access to the necessary medicines to help fight the illnesses.   A major obstacle people face throughout the world is obtaining access to vital drugs and treatments.   Through these programs, those affected by the noncommunicable diseases are able to gain the aid they need to promote a healthy life.  By recognizing the importance of defeating these fatal diseases, millions of live can potentially be saved worldwide.  Acknowledging the seriousness of these international issues is the first step in developing a plan to reduce its impact on the victims and families.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2011/noncommunicable_diseases_20110919/en/index.html

China's Attempt to Reduce HIV/AIDS Spread

A growing epidemic throughout the world, HIV/AIDS is a top concern for health organizations internationally.  Efforts to reduce the spread of the disease can be attributed to preventative actions worldwide.   Specifically, regions in China have created pilot trials to help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS from mother to child during birth.  As a way to promote the prenatal care, the programs in China offered free HIV testing and provided information on the disease for those infected.  This availability to resources allows those who typically are unable to access such health programs the opportunity to better their lives and their families.  Providing aid to prenatal children infected with the disease reduces the risk of infant mortality, compared to if the disease went undetected from mother to child.  Programs such as the one in China are a step in encouraging the necessity for prenatal care as well as the importance in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS.  By starting with younger generations, it is possible to create a healthier future for the international world. 

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2011-09/09/c_131130799.htm

U.S. compared to Europe's Development Plan

In the lecture presentation by Steven Hill at the University of Illinois this past week, the development models between the United States and Europe were compared.  Looking at pros and cons of each model, Steven Hill discussed how Europe’s development model was best suited for the 21^st century and benefited the tax payers better than the United States’ model.  A major difference between the two development plans is that the taxes paid in Europe are redistributed into social spending programs such as healthcare, child care, and university educations where as in the United States is in invested primarily into the military and back into the pockets of the wealthy.  Paying half the amount of money and receiving better care, Europe has a healthcare system established to take care of the people, one that should be emphasized in countries throughout the world.  Prioritizing their needs, countries in Europe recognize the necessity to provide systems that better the lives of the people.  Through funding programs such as education and healthcare, it is possible to not only protect the citizens from harmful diseases but also educate them on how to live a healthy lifestyle and to prevent the spread of infectious illnesses.  Preventative ways such as investing in social programs is a way to stop the vicious cycles of poor health from generation to generation.  Utilizing taxes payers’ dollars, like countries in Europe do, people can benefit from the opportunities and resources given through social spending.

Kenya's Actions to Better Sanitation

Few things are required for basic health in the world such as clean air, food, and water.  For some developing nations, these simple amenities are not obtainable.  In areas such as Kenya, the issue of clean water and sanitation are being addressed, with the ultimate goal of improving health for those living in poverty.  Living on a minimum budget, many find it difficult to afford the necessities for their families and challenging decisions must be made to ensure the survival of one’s family.  Attempting to put a stop to the corruption surrounding water supply and cleanliness, according to The World Bank, Kenya’s new constitution states that is a right for the citizens to have access to clean water and sanitation.  Allowing the public, the poor included, to receive clean water is a major way in improving the health and lives of the indigenous.  This improvement guarantees a bacteria free water supply which has the potential to decrease the amount of bacteria and infectious diseases lurking around such environments.  Small steps such as amending a constitution to include simple health requirements for people can make a change in the overall health condition.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:22974525~menuPK:34457~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html

Decrease in Newborn Deaths

As Millennium Development Goals, or MDGs, it is the objective of participating nations to improve the condition of their country by one development goal at a time.  In regards to goal four, reducing child mortality and goal five, improving maternal health, there has been an overall improvement, but a slow progression in developing nations in Africa.  According to the World Health Organization, contributions to health care for mothers have increased, resulting in better prenatal care for their unborn child.  With an increase in education for women on prenatal care and an increase to resources, there can be a larger increase in the accomplishing Millennium Development Goal number four, which can be linked to the decrease in newborn deaths.  Educating women on the proper way to care for their offspring, both born and unborn, is a major way to improve the health of youth worldwide.  By creating a chain of educated mothers, it is possible to stop the cycle of the death of newborn babies. Although there is an overall decrease in total newborn death, the slow rate in Africa is a concern that needs greater attention.  The improvement of reducing newborn death rates is one step closer to accomplishing all of the Millennium Development Goals.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2011/newborn_deaths_20110830/en/index.html