Malaria and Tuberculosis

"Every day . . . more than 26,000 children under the age of five die around the world, mostly from preventable causes . . . More than one third of these children die during the first month of life, usually at home and without access to essential health services and basic commodities that might save their lives".¹

There are regions in the developing world where children still die of diarrhea, respiratory infections and easily prevented childhood diseases such as measles, simply because they have no access to medical services.²   

Global statistics reveal the unique susceptibility of both women and children to disease, especially in the developing world.  In almost every society, women and children are, physiologically, the weakest and most vulnerable and therefore many times the hardest hit by disease.  Also, due to the close relationship between women and children, their suffering is often intertwined.  Examples of this are children at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS during birth and breast feeding or the high rate of fetal deaths when pregnant women are infected with malaria.³

The sixth Millenium Development Goal is to "halt and reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases."⁴  There are countless diseases to which women and children are at risk and they are impossible to document in their entirety.  For the purpose of this article, however, we look at those most pervasive as well as the easiest to prevent and cure.   

"Malaria kills a child in the world every 30 seconds. It infects 350-500 million people each year killing 1 million, mostly children, in Africa. . . In Mozambique, more children die of malaria than any other disease . . . (it) is also deadly for pregnant women, who run the risk of severe anemia, which can be fatal."⁵  Malaria is caused by parasites that are spread from person to person through the bites of infected mosquitoes.  If not treated properly, it can cause severe and often fatal illness.  But, the reality is that this disease is completely preventable and curable.  According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), bed nets can reduce malaria transmissions by 60%.⁶  As simple as it sounds, the sobering reality is that in many developing countries there is no access to these very affordable nets that, at only $5 a net, could protect a small family.⁷

Tuberculosis (TB) is also on the United Nations list of diseases to be reversed by 2015.  It is the "single, most deadly infectious disease and kills two million people each year".⁸  Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are the worst hit and an estimated 75% of those infected fall between the ages of 15 and 44, which has severe socio-economic implications.⁹ 

Like malaria, TB is entirely curable and its transmission can be reduced through early detection and treatment, but many patients are never diagnosed or are diagnosed too late.  WHO promotes Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course (DOTS) which is an affordable and successful six-month treatment that costs as little as US$11.  However, as with many diseases, stigmas are associated with TB and it is women that often feel the results; misinformation and cultural beliefs about how it is contracted sometimes lead to "divorce, desertion and separation from their children",¹⁰ a powerful deterrent to seeking a diagnosis.

When women do not have access to basic medical services and when they are not educated about diseases or are marginalised by culture and stigmas, children suffer.  Therefore, the goal to ‘halt and reverse' these diseases can be achieved through focusing on eradicating poverty and on the education and empowerment of women, especially, as the primary caregivers in most societies.

1  "The State of the World's Children 2008." The State of the World's Children 2008 (2007): 1.

2  "The State of the World's Children 2008." The State of the World's Children 2008 (2007): 1.

3  "WHO Malaria." WHO World Health Organisation. May 2007. World Health Organisation. 20 Jun 2008 www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs094/en/index.html.

4   "The UN Millenium Development Goals." The UN Millenium Development Goals. United Nations. 20 Jun 2008 www.un.org/millenniumgoals.

5  "MDG Monitor :: Success Story :: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases." MDG MONITOR :: Tracking the Millenium Development Goals. 01 November 2007. United Nations. 20 Jun 2008 www.mdgmonitor.org/story.cfm?goal=6.  

6   "MDG Monitor :: Success Stories :: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases." MDG MONITOR :: Tracking the Millenium Development Goals. 01 November 2007. United Nations. 20 Jun 2008 www.mdgmonitor.org/story.cfm?goal=6>.

7  "WHO, WHO releases new guidance on insecticide-treated mosquito nets." WHO, World Health Organisation. 16 August 2007. World Health Organisation. 20 Jun 2008 www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2007/pr43/en/index.html>.

8  "Red Cross Red Crescent - Communicable diseases." International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Red Cross Red Crescent. 20 Jun 2008 www.ifrc.org/what/health/diseases/tb/index.asp#docs>.

9  "Red Cross Red Crescent - Communicable diseases." International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Red Cross Red Crescent. 20 Jun 2008 www.ifrc.org/what/health/diseases/tb/index.asp#docs.

10 World Health Organisation, "Combating Stigma and Discrimination." Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilisation to fight TB, A ten year frameowrk for action 2006 13-14. 20 Jun 2008 whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2006/9241594276_eng.pdf.