WHAT WE DO

WE ARE HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION. 

Health is a right. Not a privilege:

  • We reach people where they are.
  • No one should go bankrupt when they get sick,
  • Universal health coverage should be attainable,
  • Health transforms communities, economies and nations.

EBOLA

 

       Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a rare and deadly disease most commonly affecting people and nonhuman primates (monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees). It is caused by an infection with a group of viruses within the genus Ebolavirus. The virus initially causes sudden fever, intense weakness, muscle pain and a sore throat. It progresses to vomiting, diarrhea and both internal and external bleeding. Patients tend to die from dehydration and multiple organ failure. As the virus spreads through the body, it damages the immune system and organs. The virus spreads through direct contact with body fluids, such as blood from infected humans or other animals. Spread may also occur from contact with items recently contaminated with bodily fluids. Spread of the disease through the air between primates, including humans, has not been documented in either laboratory or natural conditions. Semen or breast milk of a person after recovery from EVD may carry the virus for several weeks to months. Fruit bats are believed to be the normal carrier in nature, able to spread the virus without being affected by it. Blood samples are tested for viral RNA, viral antibodies or for the virus itself to confirm the diagnosis. The disease was first identified in 1976, in two simultaneous outbreaks: one in Nzara (a town in South Sudan) and the other in Yambuku (Democratic Republic of the Congo), a village near the Ebola River from which the disease takes its name. In July 2019, the World Health Organization declared the current Congo Ebola outbreak a world health emergency.

Many activities help prevent and control Ebola:

  • Management and Operations
  • Emergency Management
  • Border Health
  • Behavior Health Sciences
  • Contact Tracing Evaluation
  • Vaccine
  • Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)
  • Laboratory
  • STEER
  • GIS/Mapping:
  • Social Behavioral Science and Community Engagement team
  • Global Migration
  • Communications/Information
  • Policy
  • Standard Operation Procedures
  • Training & Capacity development
  • Safety/Security:

Between 1976 and 2013, the World Health Organization reports 24 outbreaks involving 2,387 cases with 1,590 deaths. The largest outbreak to date was the epidemic in West Africa, which occurred from December 2013, to January 2016, with 28,646 cases and 11,323 deaths. From 1976 to 2019, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has recorder ten (10) Ebola outbreaks.

HIV/AIDS

  HIV is spread primarily by unprotected sex (including anal and oral sex), contaminated blood transfusions, needle sharing, and from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding. Some bodily fluids, such as saliva and tears, do not transmit HIV. Methods of prevention include safe sex, needle exchange programs, treating those who are infected, pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis, and male circumcision. Disease in a baby can often be prevented by giving both the mother and child antiretroviral medication. There is no cure or vaccine; however, antiretroviral treatment can slow the course of the disease and may lead to a near-normal life expectancy. Treatment is recommended as soon as the diagnosis is made. The World Health Organization and United States recommends antiretrovirals in people of all ages including pregnant women as soon as the diagnosis is made regardless of CD4 count. Without treatment, the average survival time after infection is 11 years.

AIDS was first recognized by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1981 and its cause. HIV/AIDS has had a large impact on society, both as an illness and as a source of discrimination. The disease also has large economic impacts. There are many misconceptions about HIV/AIDS such as the belief that it can be transmitted by casual non-sexual contact. It has attracted international medical and political attention as well as large-scale funding since it was identified in the 1980s. Once treatment is begun it is recommended that it is continued without breaks or “holidays”

         In 2018, about 37.9 million people were living with HIV and it resulted in over 1 million deaths. 23.3 million people were receiving antiretroviral treatment by end 2018. Most of those infected live in sub-Saharan Africa. From the time AIDS was identified in the early 1980s to 2017, the disease has caused an estimated 35 million deaths worldwide. 

         Maternal & Child Health

 

 

 Maternal and child health is the health of women and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. It encompasses the health care dimensions of family planning, preconception, prenatal, and postnatal care in order to ensure a positive and fulfilling experience, in most cases, and reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality, in other cases. Maternal deaths decline slowly with vast inequalities worldwide. In countries that provide everyone with safe, affordable, high-quality health services, women and babies survive and thrive. Improving the well-being of mothers, infants, and children is an important public health goal for the United States and the world. Their well-being determines the health of the next generation and can help predict future public health challenges for families, communities, and the health care system. The objectives of the Maternal, Infant, and Child Health topic area address a wide range of conditions, health behaviors, and health systems indicators that affect the health, wellness, and quality of life of women, children, and families. Pregnancy can provide an opportunity to identify existing health risks in women and to prevent future health problems for women and their children. These health risks may include: Hypertension and heart disease; Diabetes; Depression; Intimate partner violence; Genetic conditions; Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs); Tobacco, alcohol, and substance use; Inadequate nutrition; Unhealthy weight. Healthy birth outcomes and early identification and treatment of developmental delays and disabilities and other health conditions among infants can prevent death or disability and enable children to reach their full potential. Conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes. Environmental and social factors such as access to health care and early intervention services, educational, employment, and economic opportunities, social support, and availability of resources to meet daily needs influence maternal health behaviors and health status. Racial and ethnic disparities exist in infant mortality and can be partly attributed to disparities in social determinants of health. Child health status varies by both race and ethnicity, as well as by family income and related factors, including educational attainment among household members and health insurance coverage. Child health status and well-being can also be influenced by access to high-quality health care, such as that received through a medical home and maternity care practices that promote breastfeeding and safe sleep environments

In September 2019, new report on maternal mortality released by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group, estimates a worldwide number of 295 000 maternal deaths in 2017. Maternal deaths in the world’s least developed countries are high, estimated at 415 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births with the lifetime risk as high as 1 in 37 for a 15-year old girl in sub-Saharan Africa. In comparison, the same girl living in Australia or New Zealand would have a risk of just 1 in 7800. Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia accounted for approximately 86% (254 000) of the estimated global maternal deaths in 2017 with sub-Saharan Africa alone accounting for roughly 66% (196 000). Southern Asia accounted for nearly 20% (58 000) and South-Eastern Asia accounted for over 5% of global maternal deaths (16 000). According to new child and maternal mortality estimates released by United Nations groups, 6.2 million children under 15 years died in 2018, and over 290 000 women died due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth in 2017. An estimated 2.8 million pregnant women and newborns die every year, or 1 every 11 seconds, mostly of preventable causes. “Despite the ambition to end preventable maternal deaths by 2030, at the current rate of progress, the world will tragically fall short of this target by more than 1 million lives.” Dr. Doris Chou, WHO Medical Officer

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD)

      Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of communicable diseases and tropical infections that prevail in tropical and subtropical conditions in 149 countries, affect more than one billion people and cost developing economies billions of dollars every year. They affect the poorer populations of the world, specifically in regions such as South America, Asia, and Africa. NTDs are a major cause of disease burden, resulting in approximately 57 million years of life lost due to premature disability and death. These diseases thrive in tropical areas where access to clean water, basic sanitations, and preventative measures is limited. Thirteen neglected tropical diseases: ascariasis, Buruli ulcer, Chagas disease, dracunculiasis, hookworm infection, human African trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, trachoma, and trichuriasis. These diseases result from four different classes of causative pathogens: (i) protozoa (for Chagas disease, human African trypanosomiasis, leishmaniases); (ii) bacteria (for Buruli ulcer, leprosy, trachoma, yaws), (iii) helminths or metazoan worms (for cysticercosis/taeniasis, dracunculiasis, echinococcosis, foodborne trematodiases, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis); and (iv) viruses (dengue and chikungunya, rabies). Populations living in poverty, without adequate sanitation and in close contact with infectious vectors and domestic animals and livestock are those worst affected. Effective control can be achieved when selected public health approaches are combined and delivered locally. Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions are essential in preventing many NTDs, for example soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Mass drug administration alone will not protect people from re-infection. A more holistic and integrated approach to NTDs and WASH efforts will benefit both sectors along with the communities they are aiming to serve.

Non Communicable Diseases. NCD

    The global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers, chronic lung disease, and mental illness, is rising and health systems are adapting to these demographic and epidemiologic changes. Successful prevention, diagnosis, and management of chronic diseases require coordination of services over time and across disciplines and health systems designed to provide continuity of care. Tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets all increase the risk of dying from a NCD. Detection, screening and treatment of NCDs, as well as palliative care, are key components of the response to NCDs. Modifiable behaviors, such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and the harmful use of alcohol, all increase the risk of NCDs. These conditions are often associated with older age groups, but evidence shows that 15 million of all deaths attributed to NCDs occur between the ages of 30 and 69 years. Of these “premature” deaths, over 85% are estimated to occur in low- and middle-income countries. Children, adults and the elderly are all vulnerable to the risk factors contributing to NCDs, whether from unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, exposure to tobacco smoke or the harmful use of alcohol.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) kill 41 million people each year, equivalent to 71% of all deaths globally. Each year, 15 million people die from a non-communicable diseases between the ages of 30 and 69 years; over 85% of these “premature” deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17.9 million people annually, followed by cancers (9.0 million), respiratory diseases (3.9million), and diabetes (1.6 million). These 4 groups of diseases account for over 80% of all premature NCD deaths. Tobacco accounts for over 7.2 million deaths every year (including from the effects of exposure to second-hand smoke), and is projected to increase markedly over the coming years. 4.1 million annual deaths have been attributed to excess salt/sodium intake. More than half of the 3.3 million annual deaths attributable to alcohol use are from NCDs, including cancer. 1.6 million deaths annually can be attributed to insufficient physical activity.

 

 

 

 MALARIA

 

   Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is preventable and curable. The risk of disease can be reduced by preventing mosquito bites through the use of mosquito nets and insect repellents, or with mosquito control measures such as spraying insecticides and draining standing water. Several medications are available to prevent malaria in travelers to areas where the disease is common. Occasional doses of the combination medication sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine are recommended in infants and after the first trimester of pregnancy in areas with high rates of malaria. Despite a need, no effective vaccine exists, although efforts to develop one are ongoing. The recommended treatment for malaria is a combination of antimalarial medications that includes an artemisinin. The second medication may be either mefloquine, lumefantrine, or sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine. Quinine along with doxycycline may be used if an artemisinin is not available. It is recommended that in areas where the disease is common, malaria is confirmed if possible before treatment is started due to concerns of increasing drug resistance. Resistance among the parasites has developed to several antimalarial medications; for example, chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum has spread to most malarial areas, and resistance to artemisinin has become a problem in some parts of Southeast Asia. The disease is widespread in the tropical and subtropical regions that exist in a broad band around the equator. This includes much of Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Malaria is commonly associated with poverty and has a major negative effect on economic development.

  In 2016, there were 216 million cases of malaria worldwide resulting in an estimated 445,000 to 731,000 deaths. Approximately 90% of both cases and deaths occurred in Africa. Rates of disease have decreased from 2000 to 2015 by 37%, but increased from 2014, during which there were 198 million cases. In Africa, it is estimated to result in losses of US $12 billion a year due to increased healthcare costs, lost ability to work, and negative effects on tourism. In 2017, there were an estimated 219 million cases of malaria in 87 countries. The estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 435 000 in 2017. The WHO African Region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2017, the region was home to 92% of malaria cases and 93% of malaria deaths. The WHO African Region continues to carry a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2017, the region was home to 92% of malaria cases and 93% of malaria deaths. Children under 5 years of age are the most vulnerable group affected by malaria; in 2017, they accounted for 61% (266 000) of all malaria deaths worldwide. In 2017, five (5) countries accounted for nearly half of all malaria cases worldwide: Nigeria (25%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (11%), Mozambique (5%), India (4%) and Uganda (4%).

Health Systems Strengthening.

 

For over a decade, there have been calls to invest in low and middle-income country health systems to ensure stable platforms are in place to maximize evidence-based health interventions through their delivery at scale. Underpinning the need to strengthen fragile, resource-constrained health systems is the recognition that weak health systems impede attainment of global and national targets, and are insufficiently resilient to prepare for and respond to crises. Despite this recognition and the rapid resource expansion from global health initiatives, investments in health systems have decreased relative to the overall funding envelope. Stagnation in resource expansion through these initiatives raises further concerns that health system investments will only decrease, with prioritization of targeted, disease-specific efforts. A lack of shared understanding of what constitutes ‘health systems strengthening,’ the potentially high cost of comprehensive health systems interventions, and a weak evidence-base linking population-level health benefits with health systems strengthening strategies undermines broad investments in this area.

  • Training and skills building for all professional cadres, including clinicians, counselors, peer educators, laboratory and pharmacy personnel, program managers and administrative and finance staff
  • Development of clinical support tools and training materials adapted to local settings
  • Strengthening of managerial, administrative, and financial systems
  • Renovations of clinics, laboratories, and financial systems
  • Procurement of medication, supplies, and equipment
  • Procurement of medication, supplies, and equipment
  • Enhancing patient education, counseling, and outreach services
  • Training and support for peer educator programs
  • Development of monitoring, evaluation, and data collection tools and expertise.

 

Health Emergency/Global Health Security

More than 70% of the world remains underprepared to prevent, detect, and respond to a public health emergency. Through the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), countries are working to strengthen their public health systems and contain disease outbreaks at their sources, before they spread into regional epidemics or global pandemics. Public health threats, health emergencies, and infectious diseases do not recognize or respect boundaries. Effective and functional public health systems in all countries reduce the risk and opportunity for health threats to affect the U.S. The Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) framework makes surveillance and laboratory data more usable, helping public health managers and decision-makers improve detection and response to the leading causes of illness, death, and disability in African countries. Many countries have conducted the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) to comply with the International health Regulations. Strengthening laboratory support to surveillance also is a cornerstone of the IDSR strategy, and strengthening laboratory networks, accreditation, and external quality assurance for national public health laboratories are all critical to the success of IDSR. The Integrated Disease Surveillance (IDS) Program ensures the availability of guidelines for integrated disease surveillance and response. It provides necessary technical support for strengthening national communicable disease surveillance systems through the implementation of the Regional Strategy for Integrated Disease Surveillance and the International health Regulations (IHR). IDS establishes links with national Centers of Excellence (CoE), regional and global networks for disease surveillance thereby participating in global effort for the control of communicable diseases through the International Health regulations (IHR) implementation which will stimulate the IDSR implementation within the region.

DEVELOPMENT !

 

 

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