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 HIV/AIDS:

  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) damages the body’s immune system and is the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

  • Transmitted via exchange of infected bodily fluids or from infected Mother to child

  • Virus attacks infection fighting cells, which results in the body being unable to fight infection

  • Infected person eventually dies because they are unable to fight off ordinary colds and other infections 

    Malaria:

  • Caused by a parasite that is passed on from an infected mosquito

  • Disrupts blood supply to the internal organs which results in death

  • Also causes fever, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea which can cause infected individual to become dehydrated and eventually die.

  • In 2008 there were 243 million cases of malaria and nearly one million deaths                                                                                                                     
    Tuberculosis (TB):

  • Disease of the lungs and upper airways

  • Caused by bacteria that settles in the lungs and can then move to other parts of the body via the blood stream.

  • TB destroys lung tissue and results in death

  • Highly contagious, moves through the air from person to person

  • Leading cause of death among people who are HIV positive

    • In 2009 approx. 14 million were living with TB and an estimated 1.7 million people died from it                                       Purpose:

  • Reduce morbidity and mortality rates from HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.                                                                Importance:

  • Many diseases are preventable but contribute significantly to the global burden of disease

    • HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases can be reduced through education

    • Providing drugs to individuals infected with HIV/AIDS and other diseases can greatly improve their health which can reduce mortality and morbidity

    • Improving the health of infected individuals can result in them being able to remain as productive members of the community. Women can continue to care for their families, girls as a result can be educated and the number of orphans is greatly reduced

    • Simple, preventable measure can be taken, such as safe sex practices for HIV/AIDS and mosquito nets and sanitary measures for malaria. Many diseases are preventable by vaccines

    • Malaria costs Africa approximately 10-12 billion every year in lost GDP                                                                                          Target:

  1. Have halted and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS

  • Estimated that between 75-85% of adults who are HIV positive contracted the infection through unprotected sexual intercourse.

  • Education and use of preventative measures are simple and cost-effective but greatly reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS

  1. Achieve universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for those who need it by 2010

  • Currently no cure for HIV

  • Antiretroviral therapy allows people to control the virus and stay healthy for longer. The drugs need to be continuously taken to be effective

  1. Have halted and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases by 2015

  • Easily prevented through the use of anti-malaria insecticide treated bed nets, spraying insecticide within homes and using anti-malarial drugs. Reducing and/or eliminating stagnant water in the area reduces the breeding grounds for mosquitos, therefore reducing the amount of malaria.

  • Vaccinations greatly reduce the risk of contracting many diseases such as Tuberculosis. Early detection and access to treatment can also reduce the impact of such diseases.

  • Drugs and vaccinations are expensive. Making them available to people living in poverty is vital as they are often the group most likely to contract such diseases.

 

   Affected areas:

  • Prevalence of HIV/AIDS has increased in Eastern Europe, Central and other regions of Asia and greatly increased in Sub-Saharan Africa

    • Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 72% of all new HIV infections in 2008

  • In 2008 malaria resulted in approximately 863000 deaths, 89% of these were in Arica

MDG 6: Combat HIV AIDS Malaria and Other Diseases

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