Transcript The State Health & Development

The State Health &
Development
Nnadozie, chapter 9
1.Introduction: Defining Health
• The UN defines Health as “state of
complete mental, physical, and social
well-being, and not merely the absence
of disease or infirmity”
• Epidemiologists include “the existence of
conditions that promote fulfilling and
satisfying human lives”
2.Ecology and Epidemiological Factors
• 80% of Africa is in the tropics where the risks of endemic
and epidemic diseases is high, but preventable.
• The major killers include Malaria and other infectious
disease caused by parasites. Of some 300 million
infected with Malaria, 90% are in Africa.
• Other diseases such as schistosomasis, diarrhea,
billaharzia, are water born environmental diseases.
• Tuberculosis is another huge killer.
• Recently, HIV/AIDs has emerged as a major killer
affecting many African states.
• According to one estimate 25% of Africans are infected by
HIV/AIDS. Perhaps 70%, of those affected in the world are in Africa.
• Prenatal, infectious, and parasitic diseases are
responsible for 75% of infant deaths in Africa
Measuring Health
• Life expectancy is one measure. It is low in
Africa and ranges between 48 and 62 for males
and 51 to 68 for females, and this is decreasing.
• Gains in life expectancy has been reversed by incidence
of HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa (Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Botswana and South Africa)
• Maternal deaths are 500 times higher in an average
woman relative women in industrial nations.
• See Disease Incidences by Gender (1990) table
9.2
III. Africa’s Commitment to Health Care
• Primary Health Care is the key to improve health of Africans.
These are inexpensive.
• Unfortunately, governments have not made the necessary
commitments.
• The Colonial health care system remained intact a few years after
independence.This was highly unequal.
• Malnutrition is another problem primarily from not having
enough calorie intake, including other nutrients such as
protein.
• Combination of malnutrition and disease in Africa is estimated to
account for 210/1000 deaths among children in W.Africa,
169/1000 in Central Africa, 171/1000 in East Africa and 129/1000
in Southern Africa
III. Africa’s Commitment to Health Care
• Annual budget allocations for healthcare
increased from 0.7% of GNP to an average
2.4% by 1990.
• There is also improved access to health care.
• The increases are as follows:
• 1985-91 health access increase in 64%
• Safe water 56%, sanitation 41%. But,
there is disparity between rural and urban.
The effect of Lack of Clean Water on Health
• Lac of access to clean water and clean indoor latrines is
a major problem.
• Disease exposure routes are as follows:
•
-Water-born diseases (typhoid, cholera, etc)
•
-Water-contact diseases such as Guinea worm and
schistosomaisis,
•
-Water-wash diseases that occur due to water
scarcity such as trachoma, Insects and rodents
•
-Household infections from airborne diseases, such as
tuberculosis, whooping cough, and various respiratory
elements
Health and Economic Security
• Health indicators are related to the level of income
(see table 9.3).
• These indicators which include: Mortality rate, crude
birth rate, maternal mortality, total fertility rate,
adolescent fertility rate, infant mortality rate, etc.. are
correlated with level of income.
• Africa is mostly hot and humid with dry and wet seasons.
African mountains and highland regions are safer from
malaria mosquito bites.
• African highlands are in Ethiopia, Kenya,
Mozambique, Malawi, South Africa, and Zimbabwe
are more conducive to health
Conclusion
• Primary health care based on prevention should
be the major focus due to its cost-effectiveness
and the nature of the diseases.
• Immunization, safe water, and sanitation will go
a long way to improve health in Africa.
• African governments must spend less on arms
and more on people’s health and education
Test #1 Scores
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Last 4 digits of Your Win #
8146
39
6054
50
0881
45
9362
22
8205
41
4869
40
9808
44
8678
40
5345
43
9758
50
5136
46
4416
42
5151
40
4976
35
3591
47
3976
47
6698
44
9225
42
9800
49
8416
45
1693
34
0556
40
9914
38
8248
36
2606
38
1531
38
4329
36
Score out of 50