As Sickness Spreads, Africa's Poor Continue To Die
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA -- In Africa, 28,000,000 people are
infected with diseases such as AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis --
and the number is growing. A recent U.S. Government report states
that at the current pace, life expectancy in Sub-Saharan Africa
would decline to levels not seen in more than 100 years. Already
in some countries such as Botswana, more people are dying than
are being born. “Some countries will need more than half a century
to recover from the crisis,” the report continued.
Health organizations from around the world are working to join
the fight against the spread of diseases that are claiming so many
lives. Included among the steps being implemented to help stop the
spread of disease are health screening, counseling, media
campaigns, and a variety of school-based and workplace-based
programs.
We simply cannot say in good conscience, 'it's someone else's problem.'
A spokesperson for the health-group effort stated that“nearly two-thirds of the 29 million cases of infection from diseases such as AIDS could be prevented with this effort.” Another spokesperson explained that “there is also a moral imperative to care for those who are already infected. Treatment not only prolongs lives, but supports prevention efforts by encouraging knowledge of disease.”
“One thing certain is that this is something the people of Africa cannot do on their own,” explains Missionary of Africa Development Director, Fr. John Lynch. “It will take the help of those of us here in the U.S. as well as the partnership of other nations.
As Disease Threatens More Lives, Care Becomes Urgent!
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA -- In this region of Africa, home to some of the world’s poorest men, women and children, a shortage of nearly 1 million health care workers is laiming more lives every day.
Essential healthcare workers such as doctors, nurses and health educators simply are not available in many parts of southern Africa, particularly in rural communities. There aren't enough doctors and nurses to diagnose diseases such as TB and AIDS, to educate patients on what causes these infectious illnesses and what medicines work, or to make sure patients take all of their medicines to avoid developing drug resistance. And it is a problem that is not going away.
As a result of the shortage
of healthcare personnel, in
addition to AIDS, tuberculosis has been on the rise as well.
Nearly half a million die from tuberculosis in Africa every year.
One of the causes of the increase in tuberculosis mortality rates is
that almost half of those on TB treatment programs fail to complete
the six-month course of medicine to cure the disease. Because of
this, they become prime candidates for drug-resistant strains of TB,
for which treatment is far more difficult and expensive. Late last
year, the World Health Organization declared an emergency in
southern Africa due to an outbreak of extremely drug-resistant
tuberculosis, or XDR-TB. This highly lethal form of the disease
does not respond to the medicines now used against TB.
While a disease such as AIDS is transmitted through human contact, contaminated needles and
blood transfusions, XDR-TB can spread as easily as a cold. Victims breathe in germs coughed into the
air by an infected person, and TB bacteria take up
residence in the lungs. Last year, 53 cases of XDR-TB
were found among patients at a hospital in South Africa.
Within 25 days of diagnosis, 52 of the patients were dead.
Now, more than 330 cases additional have since been
reported across South Africa.
