Malaz Mohamed Nour UN struggles to stem Haiti Cholera Epidemic

Cholera has swept Haiti in the last few years and the United Nations’ effort to raise money needed is not enough. Clean water supply is short and clinics have run short of oral rehydration salts to treat the diarrhea. When families run out of water purification tablets, they drink from polluted source, most likely streams nearby. For the last three years in a row Haiti has reported the most cases of cholera. The United Nations has a plan to raise 5 million for vaccination purposes and another 2 billion to betterment the water sanitation infrastructure. Over 8000 people had died in Haiti since the 2010 cholera outbreak but new infections have declined. Also the number of cholera treatment center has shrunk from 120 to 40 in the country. This outbreak even spread to neighboring country and cases numbers are expected to reach 40000 as the raining season starts.

This is not a problem of epidemic, but equality and human rights. Although main causes of this cholera breakout is the unsanitary water conditions in Haiti and the weak public health and government attempts  that left the poor with little choice but to drink whatever available ,humans around the world and most specifically developed countries, represented by the United Nations, are responsible for this. The inhumane conditions in Haiti and the facts that the cost to prevent cholera and to prevent it is not costly, proves that what is happening is lack of support and attempts. Experts even say that no one should be dying of cholera. Because less than 2/3 of the population have access to cholera, poor hygienic practices and clinic are very far, number of death are high , the children have very low immunity.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/20/world/americas/un-struggles-to-stem-haiti-cholera-epidemic.html?hpw&rref=health&_r=0

After Measles Success, Rwanda to get Rubella Vaccination, Malaz Mohamed nour

Rwanda held a campaign on March 11 of a measles-rubella vaccination. It is the first country to get to get donor support to do so. The campaign extended for three days and millions of children up to age 14 and to integrate this to cover vaccination by its national health service. Rubella, very similar to measles, is mild in children but can cause serve damages to pregnant women and permanent damages to the baby. The move was to make identify rubella, since it is similar to other rashes, and provide a more expensive vaccination. A number of mothers, mostly in Africa, South Asia and the pacific island give birth to handicap due to rubella infection. The tiny country has taking initiative and since 2007, there are zero number of cases of measles and about 90 percent of Rwanda children have been vaccinated. While in wealthy countries measles kills small number of children whose mother miss their vaccination, in poor countries measles kills many although can be contaminated by vaccination easily.

 

This article is like many and the problem of lack of vaccination is all over poor countries, especially those in Africa but the numbers here are better. To have 0 cases of an infection that once killed many infants for couple of years show that the fight against it is strong and continuous. We also see that not only is funding but awareness of the important of vaccination and mother cooperation is crucial in fighting such disease. Another obstacle usually faced is being aware of symptoms and in this case, mismatching rubella or measles with regular rashes. We hope to see such moves worldwide and the facts that such a country as Rwanda was able to reach such success proves that it is possible for other countries and other disease by intense, continuous work.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/health/after-measles-success-rwanda-to-get-rubella-vaccine.html?ref=research

Malaz Mohamed Nour, Pollution killed 7 million people worlwide

According to record released by World Health Organization, 7 million died due to air pollution in 2012 and more than a third of the death occurred in Asian developing nations. Air pollution is the world’s biggest and only environmental risk and dirty air account for 1out of every 8 deaths in the world. What is new is that effects of air pollution in strokes and coronary can now be evaluated. Reports show that those living in northeast China, Japan and south India are at a higher risk. Poor women expose to cooking fire are at an even higher risk of those noncommunicable diseases. Urbanization sprawl in the developing nations in Asia, especially china are major contribution to the problem. It is necessary for china to plan its cities rationally to have better urban infrastructures.

 

Developing countries and in top of them China, are major contributor of world pollution. As farmers are moved into the city life, china is experiencing over population in urban areas; a problem common in other areas of the world as well.  As those farmers lands are sold, they become producers of urban sprawls instead. The problem is that urban areas are spreading too far and too fast, using too many resources and producing too much waste. One way to help this problem is by making cities denser so that per capita use of resources and thus less pollution. Air pollution is also a threat to those in poor areas of the world who help little access to resources but at the same time more vulnerable to health problems. Also making cities denser will save space for agriculture as well as decrease air pollution cleanup spending.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/world/pollution-killed-7-million-people-worldwide-in-2012-report-finds.html

Iraq Enviromental Poisoning, Malaz Mohamed

The group Right to Heal came to the US government concerning the environmental poisoning of Iraq during the war. This group that is concerned about the after war effects on veterans and civilian claimed that the burn pits used by the US to dispose military waste and that was banned by congress 4 years before, continued to cause  health problems in Iraq. The group held a Quaker meeting house in Washington where witness talked about personal experience faced in Iraq as result of the dangerous burn pit and others (scientist) blamed the US for downplaying the health effects. One of the group demands is large-scale clean in Iraq and tracking of the health of the civilian who suffered the smoked of the burned plastic, metal cans, rubber and other materials. On the other side, reports from the Institution of Medicine show that not enough data exist to conclude that pollution that will cause long-term health exist. There are other studies and data collected that show higher rate of birth defects, cancers and other abnormalities are found in areas such as Fallujah, near Bagdad.

 

This problem of toxics and poisonous gases is very expected as remains of war. The problem becomes more alarming to know that those involved are in larger numbers than usual. Although the Iraq veterans and the civilians are the main victim, US soldiers are another party in this situation. This problem will worsen with Iraq’s dust storm and the toxic substance can spread to areas with less direct effect. In addition the poverty in many areas of Iraq, the street children, unsupported large families, and other condition resulting from soci-economic factors and the war can make things worse. Living in such condition with chaotic war condition and unsettle condition just lead the families to stay where they are regardless of the condition surrounding them.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/27/world/middleeast/environmental-poisoning-of-iraq-is-claimed.html?ref=health&_r=0

 

Blog #6, Malaz Mohamed Nour, Health and Disease, India and Polio

Although India records of immunization measles, rubella hepatitis B, TB and others similar were low in comparisons to the national rates; its polio rates are much assuring. India has achieved a 95 percent coverage, which became a model of its other effort of vaccination. Similar polio campaign efforts are being applied for other routine vaccination. Many organizations, including Unief that tries to communicate polio to the world, have efforts since 1988. Another is the World Health Organization that does a lot of data regarding collection, tracking and studying of samples. Secrets of the polio campaign success in India is in the efforts of raising awareness, large spending and detailed data that lead to results that are accounted nationally.  Another is the number of case workers in India who helped in informing the families and getting to various areas.

Polio is a problem that, although is decreasing in rate around the world, is scary were found. Places like India, Afghanistan and Pakistan account for the largest polio numbers in the world. Poverty, lack of awareness and sometimes being in that part of the world, make you at a much higher risk than others. Such campaign is something that set models for other countries and regions in the world having the same problem. Although organizations exist all over, little are actually able to reach far enough. Most of the time the problem is not where the problem is found but how to reach it where it is found, rural areas is often hard to reach which makes communication with its people impossible. Sometimes cultural differences and religious believe create boundaries and slow the message. In addition, sometimes places just don’t have money, and India’s ability to make such spending was important. Another critical point is awareness. The social workers who moved from door to door talking to mothers and giving their message of what to do now and later, even before vaccination, were very effective. Changing the mentality of how the people view such an alarming health issue in this campaign played a big role in controlling the problem itself.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/05/an-end-to-polio-in-india/?_php=true&_type=blogs&action=click&module=Search&region=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DSectionFront%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3Dhealth%26t%3Dqry220%23%2FIndia%2F&_r=0

 

#5 Malaz Mohamed Nour,03/18/14, Health and Disease

In Paris, an attempt to reduce air pollution by stopping cars was taking. A partial driving ban was imposed for the first time in the past twenty years. Authorities stopped cars with even number license plate while odd number license plate, public transport cars that made free, cars with foreign plates and those with three passengers or more were allowed to pass and park freely. This attempt of restriction and decreasing traffic successfully reduced traffic jams in the city by 60%. In the past, speed limit has been decreased by 12 miles per hour and as well as strong restriction on the passage of heavy trucks in the city. As of the past week, reports show that pollution levels, caused by vehicle emission, have decreased. According to ecology minister Philippe Martin, the free transportation will also be stopped due to high cost. Although pollution levels were expected to fall to average level, it has settled at high concentration due to the warm weather. The concentration of particulate matter that causes respiratory problems thus remained at high concentration.

Air pollution is a topic concerning every region and the attempts to control it have been made by many countries especially those that are developed. Busy European nations, the US, China as well as other countries have made organizations, including WPCA, to control pollution. Air pollution is a dangerous health alert that can affect humans and plants and the environment in general. This attempt of control traffic to reduce pollution proves that it is possible to control pollution in small regions with little spending if people work together to do so. Although in busier cities this may be hard, one which to see more of such restrictions to ensure a better life in this planet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/18/world/europe/fighting-pollution-paris-imposes-partial-driving-ban.html?ref=health&_r=0

 

Diabetes Drugs Safe

Officials of the Food and Drug Administration and the European Medication agency published their concerns about diabetes drugs on an annual joint paper. The announced the popular drugs unsafe and could cause pancreatic inflammation. The drugs that increase a hormone activity to control blood sugar, including Onglyza, Victoza, and Januvia, make millions of dollars in the market in sales. Both of the agencies have collective effort to show the link between the drugs use and their damages. A study that supported this situation was done by Dr. Peter C. Butler, from the University of California, Los Angles. Many of Dr. Butler critics claimed that his conclusion was not supported and asked for the analyses to be public. After a little tension between those asking for more research and those seeing little need for concern both the European agency and the FDA announced that there was no concern regarding the safety of the drugs. The agencies have also announced that more data will be collected and that concerns regarding pancreatic inflammation were already written in the labels of the drugs.

Diabetes’ percentage is around the world and percentage in developed countries such as the US and those in Europe are very high. McDonaldization and other social factors that caused the world to move faster, Diabetes is becoming a trend and almost a common disease in families. Regardless of the factors or causes of diabetes, its cure is one around the world. This alert of and ‘unsafe’ medicine is scary and causes the sick to feel worst. Diabetic people are dependent on the medicine and no substitutions are currently unavailable: to know that your medication can cause further and more serious illness is something that affects part of the population worldwide. Further and deeper studies should be done regarding all diabetes’ drugs available in the market.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/27/health/us-and-european-regulators-call-popular-diabetes-drugs-safe.html?ref=health

India’s Efforts to Aid Poor Worry Drug Makers

The article “India’s Efforts to Aid Poor Worry Drug Makers” shed light on the extremely expensive drugs that are a burden on the people needing them. One of those medicines, probably the most important and expensive, is the cancer medicines. There are so many women who are unable to afford a single treatment. The scarcity of the cancer medicines caused by its high prices and the growing demand had caught authority attention. The Indian government threatened to produce a cheaper and generic form of Herceptin, a strong breast cancer medicine. For those poor and who cannot afford any part of the $18,000 for a course of the treatment, this was something to look forward to: The producers of such drugs are who saw danger in such government intervention. The Herceptin maker from Switzerland Roche Holdings, refused but latter gave patent right after realizing the guaranteed lost in front of the law. The argument over the price of the expensive cancer medicine continues. There are serious international attempts from government officials of India to betterment of the situation.  The attempts include bringing innovative medicine and discovering cures and technology to help the large and poor population of cancer patient in India. Many experts suggest that even more investment should be done on preventing rather than curing. The Indian successful attempts to adopt paten laws spread around the world in countries including Brazil, Colombia and the Philippines. The effect does not stop there, but is also affecting the USA that also has expensive cancer medicine regardless of Medicare.

 

Expensive drugs and disease control is a global matter that no longer start or stop at one point. The different types of cancers and their expensive treatment are health problem facing both developed and underdeveloped countries. The fact that the problem has gained international attention, especially by the United States, points that the cancer epidemic is something that requires global attention and specially that of developed countries. India account for a large percent of the world’s health problems and cancer is a becoming the second HIV. Although Indian women are less likely to get breast cancer compared to the women in the United states, they are more likely to die as a result of it thus it is fatal in this case. The review over the paten right and government steps toward controlling high drug prices around the world is evident. Globalization and the technological age account for such advancement on shedding light over such issues. India is also to be thanked for both opening the world eyes and proving that it is ‘here’ for its national issues.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/30/health/indias-efforts-to-aid-poor-worry-drugmakers.html

Asian Elders committing suicide

Why are so many elderly Asians killing themselves?

The number of Asian elders over the age of 65 committing suicide is increasing dramatically. The positive correlation between the increasing number of suicide rate among elders in Asia and the economic growth is very ironic. In the other side, the rate is much slower or even stable in less developed countries in neighboring countries that are less developed. These high rates find their match in the developed countries belonging to the Organization For Economic Corporation and Development including the US who elderly suicide rate reached 14% in 2007. Specialist blamed the industrial society and the increasing population of elders that is causing their dependency ration to increase as the main cause. They urge the government to provide social services such as psychological counseling and medical care to prevent suicide.

This alarming situation and the rates that are increasing is a head up to developed chines countries in particular and the world in general. The rate of increasing elderly suicide, as mentioned in the article, is mainly caused by the increasing number of the elderly population that is unsupported financially and emotionally. China is a country of rapid development and grownups who in the past took care of large families, now find themselves in small, busy families. They are more likely to either be supported by 1 or younger adult in a family or are left to make living on their own: in both situations, those elders face loneliness and are probably and support and feel burden on their existing. The problems the elders face are perhaps emotional more than they are financial. The rapid change from the life in traditional houses with large families and agricultural communities to the nuclear family, after the one-child policy, and the busy life of factory workers in an industrialized national is what cause those elders to feel out of place. This situation is a factor that will extend to underdeveloped countries in the near future once their lifestyle becomes more “westernized “ and it will become a danger facing those who are already developed. Countries such as Vietnam and India regardless of cultural patterns are moving toward industrialization and such a problem will ultimately be under their social agenda.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/16/why-are-so-many-elderly-asians-killing-themselves/

Worst spills in Fukishima

The operator of storage thanks in Fukushima has reported the worst radioactive water leak in the past 6 month. The operators assured that the100 tons leak in the nuclear plant was far from waterfront and will not reach the Pacific Ocean. The radioactive water is reported to be contaminated with water 3.8 million times with strontium 90 compared to the maximum allowed by Japan’s safety standards for drinking water. The company, Tepco, has previously reported five million Becquerel of strontium 90 per liter leakage close to the Pacific 5 month after the incident occurred. The public and authorities have blamed the company for displacing little information about the company’s operation and letting the public know too late about such crisis. Other incidents of spills, contaminated water flowing into the pacific, plants’ rector meltdown and the like have occurred in the company’s nuclear plant is putting public health at risk.

 

Such an incident is not new of its kind and the news have witness several others in nuclear plants. In addition to earthquakes and tsunamis that hit the area, nuclear power plants leakage has occurred several times in the past. Although some of the incidents were limited and the contaminated water was accumulated in tanks, such incidents are extremely dangerous to public health. Although Strontium 90 can be consumed by human like calcium, large amount of it can cause cancers and leukemia. In addition to the natural disaster, many of the incidents were reported by the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent investigation commission manmade and completely preventable. Such revelation shows that the company is not careful enough and is not aware of the health problem that can occur as a result of their incidents. This situation should be shed light on and serious steps should be taking by the World Health Organization to prevent them, set harsh laws for nuclear power companies and  limit their existence were they cannot be strictly regulated

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disaster