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Malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS are
among the health calamities that afflict the
populations of the South of the world.
Malaria in Africa is among the first causes of death in
children under five. Every year malaria hits about 250
million people, and about one million die of
complications related to severe malaria. Yet malaria is
curable with low-cost drugs.
In a year tuberculosis kills 1.8 million people and AIDS
2 million, two third of them in sub-Saharan Africa,
and often the most productive part of the population,
leaving 15 million orphans and entire countries without
a future.
Diarrhea and acute respiratory infections, which can be
cured with common antibiotics,
are still widespread causes of illness and death.
Other diseases such as schistosomiasis, intestinal
helminthiasis, lymphatic filariasis, leishmaniasis, and
trypanosomiasis, are defined as "Neglected Tropical
Diseases" (NTDs), because they hit the planet’s most
neglected communities, and are among the most important
causes of the poverty chain for entire nations in
tropical and sub-tropical areas. Nevertheless,
approximately one sixth of the world population suffers
from these diseases which have a heavy impact on
socio-economic development in these countries.
Schistosomiasis and intestinal helminthiasis afflict
children in particular, delaying growth and intellectual
impairment. The disabling consequences of these two
diseases could be avoided and many children could grow
up healthily if the treatment campaigns could cover
completely the endemic areas, reaching out to people
living in the most remote parts.
 Some
targets have been reached, but mass drug administration
campaigns need to be strengthened and local governments
must have support in planning the campaigns.
Effective drugs have long been on the market; the
challenge is to make them available to the communities
that live with this dramatic reality every day. Used in
mass campaigns, these drugs prevent the chronic
consequences of the diseases: however, if infectious
diseases are to be prevented and eliminated,
interventions must focus not only on curing sick
individuals, but also on improving infrastructures and
training health care workers.
Training guarantees the sustainability of any health
cooperation intervention and lays the foundations for
increasingly independent health care management.
The fight against malaria, tuberculosis, AIDS and NTDs
is a global challenge to strengthen the disadvantaged
communities of the world.
So we must act now: the unmet need for health of
millions of women and children can no longer wait. |
