Poverty and Poor Health Conditions in Africa - Essay Example

Poverty and Poor Health Conditions in Africa Introduction Africa being a third world country has many challenges. More than 30% of the world’s poorest population is based in Africa due to various reasons (World Development Indicators, 2001). International organizations have identified various reasons for the increasing gap between the rich and the poor while also raising the alarm about the health problems associated with the increasing poverty. The main determinant of poverty and the widening wealth gap is mainly inequality in socioeconomic resources where the rich continue to increase their wealth by exploiting the poor. This trend is global but it is more rampant in Africa and other third world countries. The increment of poverty in Africa goes hand in hand with poor health conditions where Africans suffer and die from various diseases due to lack of better health care, illiteracy, poor living conditions, poor sanitation and low income. The main objective of this research project is to tackle the influence of poverty on poor health conditions in Africa. This project will review international researches to identify the extent Africa is affected by Tuberculosis, HIV/aids, Malnutrition and Lack of Vaccinations due to its poverty. By analyzing, the data of the affected Africans and their links to poverty the research will discuss the way forward for the African continent to limit these poor health conditions. In addition to that, this research will explore ways to improve the development of better health conditions. Aims of the research This research aims at answering the following questions: What are the links between poverty and poor health conditions? What are the international organizations doing to reduce poverty and poor health conditions in Africa? Which are the best strategies to improve health conditions and reduce poverty in Africa? Tackling these questions will ensure that this research is a success and its main goals are realized. Research background Kofi Annan, who is a former UN Secretary General while addressing the 2001 World Health Assembly identified the biggest enemy of health in Africa and other developing world as poverty. He claimed that poverty makes people live in a polluted environment that comprises of poor sanitation, inadequate clean water and poor housing that increase slums in Africa. The poor living conditions are responsible for the spread of tuberculosis due to overcrowding and polluted atmosphere. In the assembly, he stated that poverty leads to hunger, that makes the poor vulnerable to diseases (World Development Indicators, 2001). The rising poverty level in Africa and the widening gap between the rich and the poor has led to the increment of TB, malnutrition and HIV/AIDS. Past research in South Africa, which is a middle economic country, proves the truth in Annan’s statement as it shows that although the country is one of the richest in Africa, most people in the country live below the poverty line. More than 52% of the citizens live below the poverty line, thus has to live in slums. The past research in South Africa illustrates the impact of poverty on health conditions. The Swedish and United Kingdom governments in association with USAID to research on the impact of poverty on Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health in South Africa funded this research. The research proved that TB, malaria, HIV and malnutrition, infected the 52% of the South Africans living below the poverty line more than the wealthy due to the living conditions (World Development Indicators, 2001). The poor living conditions were polluted, had poor sanitation, women walked miles searching for water and the crime rate was high. TB is rampant in Africa as it is an infectious disease and the poor living conditions which comprises of overcrowding is a main facilitator of the rampant spread of the disease. The World Health Organization report stated that TB is one of the main causes of deaths in Africa, where 18% of the deaths in Africa are caused by TB. World Health Organization (WHO) reports claims that TB, which is the leading, cause of death for an infectious disease is rampant in sub-Saharan Africa due to the lifestyles of poverty (World Development Indicators, 2001). These lifestyles include overcrowding, alcoholism, stress, drug addiction and malnutrition that make the body vulnerable to disease attacks. The rate of deaths in Africa because of TB is still high as compared to other developed countries due to the poor health care services. The poor lack the means to acquire medication and vaccinations that would limit the spread of TB. The basic needs of the low income earners in Africa is mainly food, but hunger is still rampant, thus people have no resources to pay for their health care, whereas the governments in Africa have failed to improve the health conditions of their citizens. The failure to ensure that their citizens have accessible health care centers have tampered with the international organizations ability to help poor Africans in the provision of vaccinations and other TB medication. United Nations declared better health care as a human right, but this is not the case in Africa as it is for the rich and able. The poor infrastructures in Africa, for instance, poor roads have made it difficult for UN among other organization to assist the poor in the fight against TB and other diseases. The Millennium Development Goals set by the UN in 2000 have several goals to improve world health by 2015 (World Development Indicators, 2001). These goals have not been realized in Africa due to poverty. The high rate of illiteracy, poor living conditions and the widening gap in resource allocation are some effects of poverty that are rampant in Africa. Since most of the people in Africa live below the poverty line, they tend to migrate to urban centers in search of jobs, but the migration rate is higher than job opportunities thus leading to an increment of urban population. This population is composed of more unemployed people that are dependent on fewer employed in low income jobs. This results in hunger thus cause malnutrition. Most of the population in the urban areas is composed of youths and due to the limited resources result to crime and unprotected intimacy. This leads to the increase of rape cases in Africa’s major cities and towns that increase the spread of HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS is one of the biggest threat facing Africans and limiting economic growth, thus proving the link of poverty and the disease. Whiteside in his research on the links of poverty and poor health conditions noted that HIV has a vicious cycle where poverty boosts the spread of HIV due to malnutrition that makes our bodies venerable for the virus and the living conditions and lifestyles that facilitate the spread of the virus. HIV in turn increases the level of poverty due to increase of dependency rate. Poverty results to illiteracy thus the most of the poor Africans are illiterate and still follow some of their culture that promote the spread of HIV. Polygamy, FGM and use of traditional methods of midwifery are the main factors that boost spread of the virus. In a report by WHO, sub-Saharan Africa is most affected by the virus, as the living conditions are poor and illiteracy level is high. The persistent use of traditional midwifery increases the rate of mother to child HIV transmission due to lack of vaccines that help prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to child. The United Nation noted that women are the most affected or in dangers to be infected by the virus due to poverty in Africa, where illiterate women are not treated in case they suffer from genital schistosomiasis that is rampant among poor women and it promotes infection of HIV (World Development Indicators, 2001). The voices of the poor, a study to inform the World Bank Development Report to help in laying a strategic way to fight poverty proves that HIV is the main disease that is affecting the poor in Africa and other developing countries in the world (World Development Indicators, 2001). The study comprised of questioning the citizens of these nations where most of the interviewee claimed that HIV spreads at a high rate due to poverty where most people engage in risky jobs that contribute to the spread of the disease. Poverty plays a big part since illiterate citizens do not understand the virus, thus do not seek medication due to beliefs that the cause of HIV is witchcraft. Infected people are discriminated upon in these societies and most of the people tend to hide their status due to humiliation and to avoid discrimination. Poor infrastructure also contributes to the deaths of millions Africans due to lack of accessible and cheap medication. This study portrays that most of the youths are HIV positive and lack of medication has led to the deterioration of their health, thus becoming dependent on the elderly who are not productive thus increasing poverty in Africa. Significance of this project Undertaking this project will shed more light on the links of poverty and poor health conditions in Africa. This information will help the international community with the best strategy to handle the increasing poverty in Africa and help the UN to gain more knowledge on the issues that have made their Millennium Development Goals on improving global health fail so miserably. Over the years, there have been many researches on poverty, but there are issues that have not been addressed or are complex, thus undertaking this research will ensure the issues are clearer. In this project, I intend to enlighten the African government on the need to handle health care with more seriousness than they have done in the past since health care being a basic need for their citizens will determine economic growth and development. The project will also show the need for basic education that is key in the fight against poverty and maintaining good health care. The society will also benefit by learning how to treat HIV patients instead of discriminating them and learn to seek medication regularly. The poor Africans will learn to maintain cleanliness to avoid TB and end traditional cultures that are deteriorating their health and embrace modern health to prevent unnecessary illnesses that make them stuck in poverty. Methodology This research will use both primary and secondary data. The primary data will involve carrying out a questionnaire in random African countries. The process of collecting primary data is expensive and time consuming but following the issues omitted in previous researches it is wise to gather firsthand information from the native Africans who suffer from poverty and poor health conditions. Secondary data will be from a trusted international organization for instance WHO and UN. It is also wise to gather information from the health centers to identify the main illnesses that are treated and the frequency of medication by the natives. Africans are religious and past research portrays that the poor are more inclined to seek spiritual support more than the rich and trust the clergy and other religious leaders. The project will thus associate with the religious leaders to ensure that the natives gain trust with our interviewees. The questionnaire will seek to question the natives on their knowledge on TB, HIV, and the importance of vaccinations, their health and economic status. The gathered information will be compiled differently based on age and gender. Collection of primary data will take two months and the information will be stored in soft copy for simpler analysis. The questionnaire will be oral since most of the poor are illiterate thus making it possible to gain trust for reliable information. The primary and secondary data will later be compared to ensure that the analysis is reliable and beneficial to international organizations. Analysis of the final data from the two sources will address the issue concerning poverty and poor health conditions in Africa while giving the needs and changes demanded by the natives to reduce poverty and improve health care. Expected results The expected results of this research are poor first week attendants by the natives and fear of participating in the questionnaire thus the need of providing food to the participant to entice the natives to participate in the questionnaire. The highest level of illiteracy will affect the process of data collection thus the need of educated natives in carrying out the questionnaire. Hostility is a major factor that may tamper with the research thus even if the primary data will be selected randomly, it is wise to ensure our safety, thus recognized hostile countries like Somalia no research will be carried out there. The primary data are expected to show relative equivalent data as that in the secondary data. This data will show a high rate of illiteracy, low-income families amongst the participants, lack of knowledge on ways to prevent TB, HIV and vaccines. The health status of most of the youths will prove that most are HIV positive, whereas the main cause will be participation in cultural rituals, risky behaviors and work due to poverty. Finally, the analysis of the two data will portray the link between poverty and poor health conditions. Benefits of the Research This project plays a key role in trying to figure out the links of poverty and poor health conditions in Africa. The main health issues in this research are TB, HIV/AIDS, malnutrition and vaccines. This project, when successful will give a vivid image on the extent of poverty the Africans are facing and their health status. The use of primary data will make the research more reliable as the problems of the natives are noted down and their thoughts on what their governments and international organizations should do to ensure that their lives are improved. The governments in countries in Africa will know what their citizens go through and make better judgments during their budget allocations. The success and embracement of this research will improve the health status of the native Africans as the government will allocate more funds in health care ministries, improve infrastructures to ensure accessibility of medication, provide better housing, improve sanitation, ensure availability of clean water, offer free education and improve their sources of food. These issues will make the citizens more intelligent, healthier and productive towards eradication of poverty, which is the main objective of any government. International organizations will embrace the use of religion in their strategies to improve health conditions of Africans. This move will ease the process of providing donations to the Africans without encountering many problems as it has been in the past. The rate of TB, HIV, malnutrition and lack of vaccination will be forgotten since intelligent natives will know how to prevent the spread and learn better skills to improve their economic status with the help of the government and international organizations. Conclusion The increment in poverty and the widening gap between the rich and the poor is a major cause of poor health conditions in Africa. Past researches clearly portrayed the links of poverty and major diseases that claim billions of lives in Africa, whereas similar diseases do not claim as many lives in developed countries in the world as it does in African countries. These diseases are malnutrition that is directly linked with poverty, it is caused by lack of resources to purchase food. Malnutrition makes the human body vulnerable to other diseases and the exposure of other factors that are caused by poverty, for instance, inadequate clean water, illiteracy, poor sanitations and poor living conditions makes other deadly diseases claim the lives of the poor Africans. TB is caused by poor living conditions and lack of knowledge to diminish its spread or ability to seek medication early for a cure. Poverty plays a key role in many Africans inability to seek medication thus other diseases tend to infect the sick Africans as they have poor immune. Illiteracy plays a big part in the fact that many Africans do not embrace vaccinations thus most of the preventable diseases will end up weakening them and reduce their production ensuring they do not improve their economic status. HIV/AIDS has claimed many Africans since they do not have access ARVs that would help prolong their lives ensuring that they remain productive instead of becoming dependent on other poor Africans. This project sheds light on many issues and will benefit Africans if taken seriously. There are many challenges in acquiring primary data that include; language barrier, hostility, length to complete the project and the expenses are high, but if successful will be the turning point in eradicating poverty and improving health conditions in Africa as portrayed that poverty and poor health is a vicious cycle. Work Cited World Development Indicators 2001, World Bank. Read More