http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/12/03/cholera.zimbabwe/index.html
The article describes how cholera is contracted, but to give you a brief rundown it is contracted by consuming contaminated water. This recent outbreak is believed to have been caused by burst raw sewage pipes that contaminated the rivers, wells and streams around the area, and that is where most of the residents get their drinking water.
While we hear so many horror stories from Africa in the midst of all their civil wars, it is still so sad to hear about people dying from something that can be solved a lot easier than those wars and conflicts (it's estimated between 500-1,000 people have died and up to 12,000 more may be infected). I also think more developed countries outside of Africa need to be doing what they can to help, since they have already overcome problems like this as long ago as medieval times. It would help prevent a lot of unnecessary deaths and many sad stories, including the one of the pregnant woman at the beginning of this article. We spend so much time discussing how we need to help stop genocides and rebel attacks around Africa, but it would be my guess that there are just as many people dying from diseases and other things that don't get our attention or the news coverage they need.
How do you think different countries around Africa, specifically Zimbabwe at the moment, can begin to work on their sanitation systems to help better the public's health?
While so much money is put into finding a cure for AIDS, why is it we hear so little about other diseases being spread around Africa, and even less about what is being done to cure or stop them? Along that same line, do you think it is important that outside countries help, or is this something that countries in Africa need to work out among themselves?
2 comments:
It is terrible that problems with a solution go unsovled in underdeveloped nations. Working on these nations' infrastructures is the first step in helping them escape many of their other problems. In relation to disease, Cholera and Dysentery can be completely prevented by improved infrastructure.
Malaria is probably one of the easiest diseases to prevent and yet those who are in danger of contracting it cannot afford the $5mosquito netting that could save their lives. Although this is not an infrastructure problem, it is still a solvable conflict.
It is still a solvable conflict, and I personally think that issues such as AIDS is a big deal and people should be striving hard to find cures, but why can't people try to solve and help issues that are solvable??!
I think outside countries can and should help by eliminating contaminated water. Not everyone in Africa have AIDS, but everyone needs water to survive. I think there should be more coverage on this issue and I'm sure with enough money, other countries can help in creating a way to get access to clean water.
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