Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other diseases

Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other diseases

Introduction

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

In September 2000, leaders of the world signed Millennium Declaration of the United States in order to reduce poverty, hunger, illiteracy, environmental degradation, disease and inequity against women (WHO, 2012). The UN member states agreed at the summit, towards advancing the Millennium Development Goals beyond 2015. The eight goals are:

To eliminate hunger and poverty

To get primary education universally

To reduce the rate of child deaths

To empower women and promote gender equality

To improve maternal fitness

To ensure environmental sustainability

To fight malaria, HIV/AIDS and other diseases

To develop global development coordination

Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases

By the end of 2009, at least 3.3 million people were infected with HIV. In the same year nearly 2.6 million locals were infected with the disease and 1.8 million others died due to AIDS, which also include children. A large portion of people infected with HIV that is around 68% live in Sub-Saharan Africa which makes 10.6 million people infected with the disease.

Similarly, half of the total global population is at risk due to Malaria. It takes lives of nearly one million people every year, a majority of whom are African children under the age of five. In Africa, on an average basis one child dies after every 30 seconds due to malaria.

Tuberculosis caused an estimated number of 1.7 million deaths, with 380, 000 people due to HIV in the year 2009. The same year saw 9.4 million latest cases of one of the most contagious diseases of the world. Though its occurrence rate globally is going down but almost all the regions of the world will meet targets of MDG of reducing TB incidence and number of deaths to half by 2015 (WHO, 2012).

Accomplishing Goal is Vital for Nations' Health

Nations worldwide are suffering from deaths caused by these highly infectious diseases. Together HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis are not only killing people but also ruining societies by reducing number of their workers, professionals and students. They also cause severe economic downfalls and worsening social environments. Businessmen cannot do their businesses and children are losing parents. In short if the number of patients infected with such diseases will surge, the overall health and fate of any nation will automatically suffer.

HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis in African Region

HIV/AIDS

East and Southern Africa is one of the most heavily affected regions of the world due to HIV. Only in the year 2009, out of all the people living across the globe infected with HIV/AIDS, nearly 34% were living in 10 countries of South Africa. The main reason for the rapid spread of this disease is unprotected heterosexual association. Moreover, HIV infection among children from their mothers is also alarmingly noteworthy in this region.

As compared to East and Southern Africa, HIV occurrence is low in West and Central region. The frequency of HIV in adults by 2009 was calculated at about 2% or less in 12 countries. However, its occurrence remained high in ...