“Health Issues In Africa” is about much more than medical problems; it is about the economic, political, social, and environmental issues that affect the health of Africans, which range from HIV/AIDS to war to education.
Kids playing in a tree at the orphanage in Lugazi.
In 2008, about 1 billion of the world’s 6.8 billion lived in Africa; yet that population made only 1.6% of the world’s income (2008 World Populations Data Sheet, World Bank). This high level of poverty is but one of the many factors that is both a cause and an effect of the relatively low quality of life in Africa; other factors include the large population; high rate of disease, including HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis; continuous political turmoil; social norms; lack of education, health-related and general; and individual and communal health behaviors. “Health Issues in Africa” attempts to inform readers about and present viable solutions for each of these contributing factors.
Go, learn, do! Thank you for reading.
I had NO idea that many people lived on the African continent, and even knowing their level of poverty is that extreme, I would never have guessed the percentage to be so low. Your experience in Uganda and your blog here has brought to my attention the severity of the conditions of our brothers and sisters there. No wonder you are so passionate about making a difference in their lives. I hope to be a part of that.