Health
© Aandolan 2007
The Issue
Many are dying of starvation. On the other end of the spectrum, obesity can cause fatal heart attacks and other debilitating diseases. Here you can learn about the myriad of health issues affecting the world.
Healthcare
Enormous disparities exist between different countries in terms of access to healthcare. Healthcare spending in the wealthiest 5% of the world is 4,500 times more than spending in the poorest 20%. It is estimated that one hundred million more women would be alive today if there was equal access to healthcare around the globe.
HIV/AIDs
Human-Immunodeficiency Syndrome is a sexually transmitted disease that weakens the immune system and makes it more susceptible to other illnesses. In developing countries, victims generally die from the disease. Over 40 million people have AIDs, and less than 10% have access to treatment. People with AIDs are often ostracized from their community. Although education about the disease and how it is transmitted has increased in rural areas, more awareness is needed to end the pandemic.
World Hunger
Even though current food production is enough to feed the entire world, 850 million people are undernourished. They do not receive the amount of food necessary for healthy growth. Undernourishment also leads to an increased susceptibility to illness.
Malaria
Every thirty seconds, a child dies of malaria. Malaria is an infectious disease spread by mosquitoes that affects over 300 million people per year and leads to blindness, liver and brain damage, and sometimes death. This disease can easily be prevented by purchasing and distributing bed nets.
The Water Crisis
1.1 billion people do not have access to a clean water source – and the situation is only getting worse. Water is being used up faster than it can be replenished. The lack of water fuels the spread of diseases like typhoid, diarrhea, and cholera.
Cancer
Each year, seven million people die from cancer and eleven million people are diagnosed with the disease in the US. Cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the body. Much is still not known about the disease, and the race for a cure is on.
Obesity
1.1 billion people are overweight. Obesity and weight-problems are only increasing in developing countries. An unhealthy weight can cause numerous diseases in people, including atherosclerosis, heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes, and other diseases that lead to death.
Sources:
UC Atlas of Global Inequality (Access to Healthcare Facts)
Net Aid (HIV/Aids & Hunger Facts)
Veto the ‘Squito (Malaria Facts)
BBC World Water Crisis (Water Access Facts)
American Obesity Association (Obesity Facts)
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